Chinese elm didn't lose it's leaves

Tibar96

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My chinese elm is in full leaf although it is outside and the temperatures dropped to -10 C for a week now. The tree dropped about 5-10% of the leaves at the start of the winter but the rest are green and look healthy. Should I defoliate the tree prior to spring or let it do it's thing?

Thank you in advance!
 

Tibar96

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Don't defoliate - it knows how and when to do that itself.

-10C is severe for an imported Chinese elm - I would have protected it if it was still fully in Ieaf
I won't defoliate then! Thank you!
I built a small greenhouse for the 5-6 trees i have. I Insulated the bottom of the greenhouse and i filled the spaces between the pots with insulation, i hope the trees were given enough protection. The temperatures here in Romania started to rise so the cool weather is over.
I hope i did a good job protecting them. What do you think?
 

Shibui

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It is common for Chinese elms to hold leaves all winter in warmer areas. In some places they never actually go dormant but that does not seem to hurt them. There is no need to defoliate. The old leaves will drop as the new shoots grow in spring.
At -10C I would expect Chinese elms to drop leaves. Mine usually drop leaves when temps get below freezing. Maybe it will take a couple of seasons to get used to your climate.
 
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I won't defoliate then! Thank you!
I built a small greenhouse for the 5-6 trees i have. I Insulated the bottom of the greenhouse and i filled the spaces between the pots with insulation, i hope the trees were given enough protection. The temperatures here in Romania started to rise so the cool weather is over.
I hope i did a good job protecting them. What do you think?
If they didn't immediately deteriorate and look generally unhealthy,you're probably fine.

Imported Chinese elms are the most vulnerable at the point they actually come out of dormancy. Yours never went into it - also a dangerous time.
 

Tibar96

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If they didn't immediately deteriorate and look generally unhealthy,you're probably fine.

Imported Chinese elms are the most vulnerable at the point they actually come out of dormancy. Yours never went into it - also a dangerous time.
I believe it has something to do with me buying the tree last winter and keeping it indoors until spring...i am curious to see what happens next
 

leatherback

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I am not too concerned to be honest. Chinese elms in general are pretty hardy. If it had a normal summer-into-fall transition, it would have responded to ever lower temperatures.

My chinese elm has not dropped its leaves either so far. But.. winter has been a joke with the coldest night so far around -6. I think about 15 frozen mornings this winter. Mind gets taken out of the sun and wind put in a sheltered corner of the garden if real winter is expected. (This year I have left everything in place)
 

Tibar96

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Hello everyone! Let me get you some feedback after almost a year.
The tree didn't loose the leaves last winter, but as new buds appeared I defoliated it (first pic - March 2021). The old leaves were all dark green, almost brown, and falling as i touched them.
The tree had a really strong year and the ramification improved big time! (second pic - late June 2021)
Now, winter is here and the story repeats. No leaves have turned yellow, everything is green and looking healthy. We even had 2 nights with -8 C and nothing happened. I think that the tree is dormant though, as the leaves come off quite easily if I pull them. (I won't do that till spring tho)

20210324_123126.jpg20210625_220151.jpg
 
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Shibui

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Looking at the leaves and growth pattern I think this could be the variety I know as 'Catlin' which is the least deciduous of all the Chinese elms I grow so I'm not surprised the leaves stay on all winter. Old leaves generally fall off as the new buds open in spring but if you feel like defoliating that won't cause any problem either.
 

Tibar96

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Looking at the leaves and growth pattern I think this could be the variety I know as 'Catlin' which is the least deciduous of all the Chinese elms I grow so I'm not surprised the leaves stay on all winter. Old leaves generally fall off as the new buds open in spring but if you feel like defoliating that won't cause any problem either.
That is interesting! I did not know about that variety. Do they ever get some autumn colors?
 

Tibar96

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Likely because of mallsai zig zag trunk tree is embarassed to undress so keeps leaves as cover up😜.
haha:))) indeed! I have given a lot of thought to this mallsai problem, the S shape. It is really ugly and skinny, I don't like it at all, but being my first bonsai that I got, I am trying to see where the branching and ramification can get the tree. Some major styling will probably hapen in the next few years, but for now i'll wait.

I do have a lot of trees that I work on, developing natural structures, taper and everything, so this is my only guilty "mallsai" pleasure :)
 

AlainK

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I have given a lot of thought to this mallsai problem, the S shape. It is really ugly and skinny, I don't like it at all, but being my first bonsai that I got, I am trying to see where the branching and ramification can get the tree.

That's a very wise thought ;)

Keeping a tree healthy is the first thing one has to learn.

Then you can think of more technical things like air-layering, etc. to turn an ugly duckling into a swan :cool:

1/ cultivation, 2/... all the rest
 

Tibar96

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hello! As I said, major styling was coming for this mallsai(my first tree), and this is what I did.
I hope you like it!
 

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Shibui

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That's a dramatic change. Well done. Much better than the ubiquitous S shape.

You will, however, need to manage this much more closely to overcome apical dominance.
Most trees put most effort into the top branches. Even more when the lowest parts are below horizontal. Chinese elm have strong apical dominance so cascade branches deteriorate if the upper section is allowed to grow strong.
You will need to trim the top branches much more than the cascade section just to keep the down part alive and growing.

There's no need to worry about Chinese elm not losing leaves. There are many of these in places where they never drop leaves. Usually the old leaves will fall soon after the new ones emerge in spring. You already mentioned that they almost fell off when you touched them in spring.
Also no problem repotting Chinese elm in late winter or early spring even if they still have last year's leaves.
 
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