Chinese elm bonsai in Japan.

Malix

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So I’m just curious is ulmus Parvifolia (specifically corkbark) not we’ll represented in the better competitions in Japan. I’ve found one cork bark ulmus here https://bonsaieejit.com/2013/02/20/kokufu-ten-2013/kokufu-ten-2013-js-61/

It appears to be from a kokufu ten exhibition.
But in general i don’t see a lot of ulmus as world class specimen in Japanese bonsai gardens. Is it just that I’m missing something or is it kind of a 2nd class species only suitable for beginners in Japan?
I
It seems to have soo many qualities that even veteran bonsai enthusiasts would grow them. But I’m wondering if there is a reason for why don’t I see more world class specimen out there?
 

sorce

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What does your best elm look like?

What are you asking this? I think you're thinking the same thing I'm thinking....that elm doesn't even look that good as a finished Bonsai?

Almost like it's hyped up so much....but to no end?

Sorce
 

Malix

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I’m asking cuz I really like the qualities of cork bark elm. But I don’t see them much in major Japanese exhibitions. If people have images of some really fine examples of ulmus from kokufu, taikanten or US or Euro shows please share them. I guess I am asking because for my Hornbeam, beech, maples , junipers, pine, ume, etc I have plenty of extraordinary examples to look at to help me direct the training of my trees. Less so for ulmus. And that’s seems strange considering how prevalent ulmus seems to be grown.
 
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sorce

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And that’s seems strange considering how prevalent ulmus seems to be grown.

That's why I got to thinking what I got to thinking...

Like it's hyped so much, that we actually lost sight of the fact that it'll lose branches, die, etc, just like Birch or any one of these other things we consider "too difficult".

But the significant thing I'm trying to say is not that elm is weak, but that everything else is just as good.

And it's truly just in our minds why some species "won't work".

That's why @vancehanna prevails as this person I'm pointing out as the dude who got em did.
No different attitude than what it took the other @Vance Wood to prevail with Mugo.
Got something to do with Michigan Determination.

Sorce
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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I don't know why. Though consider, Kofuku-ten, Taikan-ten, and other top shows primarily feature venerable older material. You will see the normal form of Ulmus parvifolia, but you won't see the newer cultivars as often, because they are "new".

I don't know when the 'Corticosa' cultivar was discovered and propagated. I believe it is a 20th century discovery. I know the other cork bark elms 'Seiju' and 'Hokkaido' are less than 70 years old. I think 'Seiju' was discovered in the 1970's. 'Hokkaido' was discovered maybe a decade earlier. I believe 'Corticosa' was around by the 1950's or 1960's, I do not think it is an "ancient" cultivar. So considering that at Kofuku-ten, the average age of a tree is pretty close to 100 years, the reason you don't see these cork bark elms is that they simply have not been around long enough to have properly aged specimens for the top level shows.

I could be wrong, but the above is my guess.
 

BobbyLane

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Graham potters C elm isnt too shabby
20200528_214546.jpg

this one by Andy rutledge is very good, he had a couple other good ones too somewhere in my files20200528_214626.jpg

i used to have loads of top C elm images on my old laptop.
youll find some nice ones with more extensive googling
 
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