Summer Japanese Zelkova Defoliation

GaryS

I finally got around to posting these pics of my annual Zelkova defoliation. I defoliated it the last week in July this year. I grew this tree from a small rooted cutting.

The tree at the start of defoliation. I had already taken off some leaves before I realized I needed my camera.

Attached Images

zelkova_lt01.jpg (48.1 KB, 366 views)

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GaryS

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GaryS

After stipping all the leaves. I just take the branches and pull all the leaves off.

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zelkovalt02.jpg (47.8 KB, 368 views)

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GaryS

GaryS

Next I trimmed the tips of the branches and cleaned out any other branches that were crossing etc.

After trimming:

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zelkovalt03.jpg (42.7 KB, 354 views)

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GaryS

GaryS

One month later. Around the 3rd week in August. The new leaves continue to come out from the buds.
The tree now stands 23 1/2 " abouve the container.

Attached Images

zelkovalt04.jpg (47.4 KB, 365 views)

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GaryS

groan

Lovely tree!

you say you grew it from a small cutting. Approx how long ago was that?

I recently bought some zelkova and chinese elm seeds and am curious on teh growth rate.

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Groan
Site Admin for
The Great Canadian Bonsai

GaryS

groan,

This is the earliest picture I have of that tree and it's marked August,1989. I think I got the cuttings around 1986 or so. It's never been in the ground-fully pot grown. I think that's the only way to grow broom style Zelkova properly to get the taper and twigs in proportion. I constantly have to thin the top out otherwise the branches get too thick. This one has the nice red new growth in the Spring. In Fall it turns orange.

So it's bout 16 yrs. from a nice size rooted cutting a little less than a pencil in thickness.

Attached Images

zelkova-1989.jpg (45.9 KB, 338 views)

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GaryS

erubeck

Ah Gary, a really nice tree. You have renewed my hope that some of the trees I have started can actually develop into something.

Ed

GaryS

erubeck,

Patience is what it takes. You ought to be able to find some Zelkova growing as street trees out there in Kansas and take some seeds or cuttings off them. They are not quite hardy here. Look for one that has a nice vase shape and pick some seeds off it this fall. Try and get them off the tree branches rather than the ones that fall to the ground and stake the trunk so it's straight then cut it off where you want the fork and let two or three branches sprout from that point. the rest is just keeping it alive and refining it.

I figure this tree has another ten years before it's a contender. It needs a larger pot too, but I love the pot it's in.

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GaryS

juliet-of-oz

Its really nice to see the tree in its younger days too, i really like this one alot...now to find some zelcovas

cheers

Jules