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How cold does it get where you are? Chinese elm can take temperatures down to almost -20 C in the ground; call it -10 C in a pot. An outdoor spot where it's protected from 1) mice, voles, whatever-have-you, and 2) wind, which dries anything out, is what you want. No direct sun; you want your tree to go dormant and stay that way until spring. If the rootball freezes, it won't hurt the tree; what will hurt it is a repeated cycle of freeze-and-thaw, which breaks roots. (Altho freezing may break the pot, depending on its shape and what it's made of.)

Yes, Chinese elm is quite adaptable, deciduous in cold climates and retaining its leaves in warmer ones.

__________________
Treebeard 55

"... the Lord God made all kinds of trees ... trees that were pleasing to the eye ..." (Genesis 2:9, NIV.)

5-Oct-2007	#7
treebeard55 Transplanted Jungle Rat Join Date: Aug-2007 Location: north-central IN Country: USA USDA Zone: 5b AHS Heat Zone: 5 Posts: 311	How cold does it get where you are? Chinese elm can take temperatures down to almost -20 C in the ground; call it -10 C in a pot. An outdoor spot where it's protected from 1) mice, voles, whatever-have-you, and 2) wind, which dries anything out, is what you want. No direct sun; you want your tree to go dormant and stay that way until spring. If the rootball freezes, it won't hurt the tree; what will hurt it is a repeated cycle of freeze-and-thaw, which breaks roots. (Altho freezing may break the pot, depending on its shape and what it's made of.) Yes, Chinese elm is quite adaptable, deciduous in cold climates and retaining its leaves in warmer ones. __________________ Treebeard 55 "... the Lord God made all kinds of trees ... trees that were pleasing to the eye ..." (Genesis 2:9, NIV.)