Yet another Elm for comments

daiichi

Bought the tree a year ago for £5 sterling, it 'died' over winter, and was placed into a recovery unit (large box).
Grew leaves which the slugs kept trimmed.
Found the large rock today for £2.50 and repotted it.
Comments please.

Attached Images

	Elm and Rock 01.JPG (52.3 KB, 106 views)
	Elm and Rock 02.JPG (44.7 KB, 76 views)
	Elm and Rock 04.JPG (43.7 KB, 66 views)

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Joanie

You have a lovely eye for composition! To me, the tree has too much crown for the size of the trunk. I would either cut the tree way back and make it smaller, or put it in a grow box and allow it to grow wildly for a few years. Also, the roots are rather distracting, they don't form a nice solid base..... these Elms have a tendency to do this sort of exposed root thing, but not with the artistry or the control that a real "Exposed Root Form" would have. Having looked at good examples of "Exposed Root Form" or Ne Agari, they are much more organized and graceful in the root system. You know that you want certain things in your tree crown....no crossing branches, etc. Well, the roots seem to be the same when they are exposed particularly.

I have an olive that is very much like your Elm here. I decided to thicken up the trunk quickly, and have put it into the raised bed. It will be several years before it is significantly thicker in the trunk/nebari area, but that's okay. By then it will be a nice little shohin olive. Bonsai is all about patience, isn't it?

Good luck!
Joanie

jeremy_norbury

John

I think it's a very nice try. I agree with Joanie concerning the tree though. Given the size of the trunk on this tree, I would chop back ALL the branches to less than the height of the stone which is placed behind the tree.

I've seen you referring to this Elm as a Chinese Elm on other threads - but I'm going to have to correct you. It's a Jacqueline Hillier Elm. Which means that the good news is that it didn't die-off over winter either, it simply lost it's leaves because it's deciduous. This is another clue it's not Chinese Elm.

If you choose to prune as I said, you will find yourself with some excellent cuttings and Hillier Elm roots easily - when just placed in a glass of water. Hillier Elms also grow extremely vigorously - right up there with Chinese Elm - and you could rapidly achieve a much fatter trunk - if that's what you want.

There's quite a bit written about Jacqueline Hillier Elm - so you should search the forums.

Jerry
Amsterdam

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daiichi

I think you are right about it being a Jacqueline Hillier Elm, I really must look at my trees more carefully.

Thanks to both of you for the suggestions, I will probably do that, and try and raise some more.

I have a volcano which I am trying to get material for, I'll try and get a picture of it.
I've only just got a pot that will take it, so haven't really done anything about it yet.

John

Aurelius

What was that again?

jeremy_norbury

Chinese Elm is semi-deciduous. It loses leaves depending on how cold it gets. Is this what you were questioning?

Hillier always loses leaves and is far more hardy (therefore more useful in many cases...)

Jerry

__________________

All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy. Spike Milligan
I told you I was ill. Spike Milligan's Gravestone

Aurelius

What I'm questioning is what you're using as a criteria in deciding that the tree is a Hiller elm as opposed to a Chinese elm.
Maybe I missed something from another thread.