Can Hokkaido Elm be grown indoors?

malik

I know Ive read that chinese elms can be grown indoors or outdoors, but I have a sick hokkaido elm and don't know if the winter is going to be too hard on it in zone 6b. can i grow it indoors if I get plenty of sunshine? It will be a constant 68F? Any suggestions?

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Cathie

It can, but what's wrong with it?

rockm

It can't, or at least overwintering a sick elm inside is unlikely to help it at all. Simply mulching the plant next to the leeward side of a windbreak and leaving it alone will probably be a better thing for it. Temperatures in Nashville are unlikely to hurt it, especially with the extra protection. Bringing it inside is not going to help it. It will further weaken the tree, as it tries to continue growing, when it should be dormant...

malik

It recently started turning brown and droping the leaves. I looked closer and saw what looked like white bundles of larva. i removed them and also used a systemic insecticide. I also found 3 scale bugs and took them off. the leaves had a sticky secretion on them which i know scale usually causes, but could there really only be 3? The problem with this type of elm is that the bark is bump(corky) already and it is hard for me to tell the difference between the tree and a scale bug.

This elm is only 6 inches tall and in a very small pot. You don't think the winter is going to harm the roots? I know I can mulch around it and keep it away from wind, but if It survives indoors , would it be worse to keep it in?

Cathie

Malik, your winters won't hurt it at all, not even close, and outside IS better. You could have had scale, but also mealy bug (from too-wet conditions). What it really needs is full sun.

wolverine

I have kept elms inside with my tropicals before they did good but they were never full as my elms that I kept in the garden during winter, it really helps to give them that winter rest,and in your case I think it would help your tree to come back stronger.

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zube

Malik,
Hokkaido are fussy little elms. Put it outside, they're very hardy, but don't water it very much at all when it's dormant, it'll kill it. When growth resumes next spring, they like full sun and lots of water.
zube

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malik

So it is best to put outside. I should still mulch it right? And if it is outside then it should drop its leaves? i really thought that they don't like cold in the teens, but I trust the advice i get here.

Not to change topics, but my jaboticaba tree can come inside right? And my Pomegranete can come inside right?

zube

Here's a link to Brent's elm page at Evergreen. There's some info on the Hokkaidos. I'd probably mulch it if the pot is small and temperatures get into the teens. I don't know anything about your other two trees.
zube

http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/ulmus.htm

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Sorry doesn't put thumbs back on the hand, Marge.
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