Chinese Elm Bonsai

Chinese Elm Bonsai Care

Ulmus parvifolia

What is the plant

A resistant and fast-growing bonsai tree that can resist even the most careless of gardeners. Just make sure to prune it, or you’ll end up with a gigantic hardwood tree in your garden.

Native to Eastern Asia, the Chinese Elm Bonsai is the most used plant for bonsai effects. It’s sturdy and resistant and creates a delicate and intricate net of branches, making it the plant for Bonsai purposes.

It has small, leathery leaves and bears small flowers that range between white, green, and red. When not turned into a bonsai, this tree grows between 33–59 ft (10–18 m) tall and produces tough wood. Sturdy, resistant, and versatile, this fast-growing tree can tolerate a wide range of conditions, either in temperature, light, or humidity.

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Humidity

High

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

18°C - 26°C

Hardiness zone

4 - 9

Difficulty

Hard

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Maintain Chinese Elm Bonsai slightly wet and don’t allow the soil to dry. Water 3 to 4 times a week in summer and twice a week for the rest of the year. On hotter days, water once a day.
Pruning
Chinese Elm Bonsai should be pruned regularly to maintain its shape and prevent it from losing its bonsai-like qualities. This will also result in a denser net structure. Bigger branches should only be cut by the end of fall**.**
Fertilizer
Fertilizing is not required, but it can be fertilized every month during its growing season, in spring and summer.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
The ideal conditions are from full sun to partial light, but it can endure gloomier environments. Beware of full exposure to sun and wind.
Soil
A well-drained soil that retains moisture but not becomes overly drenched is ideal. It also tolerates poor soil.
Propagation
It can be propagated by stems in spring and seeds in winter.

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Temperature
This tree can endure the cold, but both extremes of the spectrum should be avoided. It can resist up to 0 ºF (-18ºC), and frost will kill new sprouting leaves.
Container
Any container is good for this tree. Just keep in mind that it should be repotted every other year until it reaches 10 years.
Fun fact
Its wood is so high quality and adaptable that it is used in tools and baseball bats due to its splitting resistance and water resistance.