Chinese Elm (Ulmus Parvifolia) - Bonsai Care and Maintenance

General
The Chinese Elm is a hardy semi-deciduous tree great for beginners and experienced collectors alike. Although they prefer the outdoor lifestyle they can be kept indoors in a cool, well-lit position for extended periods. As such they are often sold as indoor trees. 

Being semi-deciduous, they may lose their leaves over winter if the temperature dips low enough. The actual temperature required for leaf drop varies with the genes of the tree.

Watering
Water well with a watering can or shower attachment for a hose. All our Bonsai pots have holes in their bases. Water until the water runs out through the holes.

Although hardy, the Chinese Elm is not drought tolerant. Never let the soil dry out completely, this may mean daily watering in the summer months.

 Fertilising

Fertilise from late winter through to mid-autumn. Any general-purpose fertiliser is fine.

 Pruning

Chinese Elms can be pruned all year round. To form additional branching on a shoot, allow it to grow around 6 cm long and then cut it back between the second and third leaves.

 Tip: take a photo or 2 of your tree so you can refer back to it if the tree grows out of shape.

 Light & Temperature

Chinese Elms love a lot of light. If the leaves on new shoots are larger than the rest of the tree, consider moving the tree to an area with more light. If the tree is indoors, be careful not to burn the leaves in the summer sun beaming through the window. 

Pests

Chinese elms are resilient to most pests as long as the tree is healthy. If there are signs that something is not quite right with the tree, a number of reputable organisations have solutions available on Google and other search engines.

 

Repotting

Chinese elms like to be re-potted every 2 years in late winter.

Check the bottom of the pot to see if the tree is wired into the pot, if so, snip the wire so the tree can be removed from the pot.

Once the tree is out of the pot, tease the root mass and trim up to 30% off the roots and place in either a new pot or the existing pot.

Consider wiring the tree in place again, the wire will stop the tree falling out of the pot in strong winds as well as provide a sturdy environment for new root development.

 

We at Redgate Bonsai hope you get as much enjoyment from your tree as we do.