My chinese elm tree is loosing leaves. I bought the tree two years ago and it has been doing great until now. I am in the Valley of Los Angeles and it's getting hot, but not as hot as last year, so I don't think this could be the problem. When I purchased the tree I was told that they had replaced the soild in 2002. I Water my tree each day and it has really good drainage so I am wondering of my solid needs to be replaced becase it might be depleted in menerals?. I did take the bonsai to a bonsai master and he told me it needs water and more sun. He touch the soil and he said it was dry. I purposely did not water the tree that morning as the pot would get too heavy for me to carry, but I do notice when I water it drains really well. I been following the instructions of watering my bonsay since I bought it and this is the 3rd day and is still loosing the regular leaves. It does have new baby leaves on the tops bit not sure what will happen. The tree is looking very naked. Here are some pictures. Thank you all in advance.
Chinese Elm loosing leaves
- Thread starter Luis46
- Start date
Adamski77
Chumono
that doesn't look like chinese elm to me... unless some very special variety... chinese elms leaves on the edges are not round... serrated I think is the english word to describe it...
having said that the tree you have doesn't seem to have some massive problem... new shoots look good... foliage is all green (based on your photos)... normally water problems would result in at least some foliage to get yellow...
having said that the tree you have doesn't seem to have some massive problem... new shoots look good... foliage is all green (based on your photos)... normally water problems would result in at least some foliage to get yellow...
fredman
Masterpiece
I agree. Also...the bark (bit I can see) don't look Chinese elm to me.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Time for a new bonsai master! That is definitely NOT a Chinese elm.
We do not change soil because it has run out of minerals. Nutrients are added by using fertiliser. You should apply fertiliser every 2-4 weeks depending on what sort of fert you are using. Soil is changed because: organic particles have deteriorated and water cannot drain out or because roots have filled all the spaces in the soil. Both those take 3-6 years. If water runs through your soil it is still good.
I'm trying to see where the leaves are falling off. I can see healthy new leaves just opening and I can see healthy older leaves but no sick or dying leaves so I do not think you have a problem.
Not sure what species that tree is but wondering if this is old leaves reaching end of life. Most evergreen species have leaves that live for 2-4 years then get too old so die and drop. That is natural and usually happens at the start of Summer so could explain what's happening to your tree.
Is your tree deciduous? (did it drop all the leaves for the winter?)
If anyone can ID the species that might give more clues.
We do not change soil because it has run out of minerals. Nutrients are added by using fertiliser. You should apply fertiliser every 2-4 weeks depending on what sort of fert you are using. Soil is changed because: organic particles have deteriorated and water cannot drain out or because roots have filled all the spaces in the soil. Both those take 3-6 years. If water runs through your soil it is still good.
I'm trying to see where the leaves are falling off. I can see healthy new leaves just opening and I can see healthy older leaves but no sick or dying leaves so I do not think you have a problem.
Not sure what species that tree is but wondering if this is old leaves reaching end of life. Most evergreen species have leaves that live for 2-4 years then get too old so die and drop. That is natural and usually happens at the start of Summer so could explain what's happening to your tree.
Is your tree deciduous? (did it drop all the leaves for the winter?)
If anyone can ID the species that might give more clues.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Given you location and the tree's appearance, this looks to me like a Pistachio tree. Not an uncommon species to be made into bonsai. I may be wrong, but as said, it's definitely NOT a Chinese Elm
yamadori.co.uk
Pistachio from the hot South in a pot from the cold North
This yamadori pistachio was collected in Croatia 5 years ago and has still some way to go with the foliage mass. It has wonderful craggy bark and graceful twists and turns to the trunk line. Last w…
yamadori.co.uk
Fidur
Chumono
It's a Schinus terebinthifolius, very similar to pistachio, but with a final apical leave in each complex leaf, Mine looks like this:
Schinus terebinthifolius
I wouldn´t worry about that leaf fall. It's usual. I even make a complete defoliation at this time of the year....
Schinus terebinthifolius
I wouldn´t worry about that leaf fall. It's usual. I even make a complete defoliation at this time of the year....
Baron von Smoogle
Yamadori
My app says Brazilian Pepper Tree. Whether it is that, or a Schinus, like Fidur says, it is definitely NOT a Chinese Elm.
Thank you so much for helping me. Two weeks ago I couldn't see the trunk of the tree because it was full of leaves. I did cleaned up all the fallen leaves and stems from the branches. It now looks naked to me compared to two weeks ago. I do have to say in the few years I owned it it never lost any leaves, so it looks like it might be old leaves that have come to the end of their life. I do add fertiliser once a month. I am attaching the picture of my fertiliser. It just freaked me out becase it's a beautiful tree and I really don't want to loose it. The bonsai master was not really engaged when I showed him my tree, that's why I am reaching out.
Attachments
I am in Mission Hills, Los Angeles CA 91345.Given you location and the tree's appearance, this looks to me like a Pistachio tree. Not an uncommon species to be made into bonsai. I may be wrong, but as said, it's definitely NOT a Chinese Elm
Pistachio from the hot South in a pot from the cold North
This yamadori pistachio was collected in Croatia 5 years ago and has still some way to go with the foliage mass. It has wonderful craggy bark and graceful twists and turns to the trunk line. Last w…
Attachments
vesper818
Mame
Mine did also.
The app i use is "Picture This" , and can id plants with reasonable 90% from photos or camera shots.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
OK. We now know the species. We know it is evergreen. Biogold fert every month should be adequate.
One of the problems with bonsai is that the branches keep growing. They get longer and longer. The older leaves in the middle die and fall off leaving the centre of the tree bare.
The answer is pruning. Cut long branches shorter. That encourages new shoots to grow from the branches. Hopefully some will emerge further back along those bare branches and you will have inner foliage again.
@Fidur mentioned defoliating. That means all leaves are cut off the tree which forces the tree to grow new leaves which will give you another year of green foliage. If the tree can be defoliated I'm guessing it can also be pruned hard to force back buds.
Hope @Fidur can help with how to manage your pepper tree for the future - regular trimming, hard pruning, defoliation, repotting, etc and appropriate times of year for those activities for LA climate.
Fidur
Chumono
I think California has a similar weather to mine, so as Shibui says, prunning is the key action to keep this tree compact. I prune every shot as soon as it has 3 compound leaves, and I do this all year round. It can be fully defoliated if needed and it will grow back. My experiences with this species are written here:
So I recently adquired this tree for about 60$, a schinus terebinthifolius , or a "turbinto" as we call it here.
I know this species is not popular in the bonsai world, but I have this reference: CLICK
The tree has been growing (may be too much) very healthy the last month. I just have made a little wiring and some pruning of old branches
A complet set of photographs can be watched here: CLICK
As you know I am a beginner (in his first year into this), and my inexperience is not a good sign.
I have been thinking how to develop and...
I know this species is not popular in the bonsai world, but I have this reference: CLICK
The tree has been growing (may be too much) very healthy the last month. I just have made a little wiring and some pruning of old branches
A complet set of photographs can be watched here: CLICK
As you know I am a beginner (in his first year into this), and my inexperience is not a good sign.
I have been thinking how to develop and...
Thank you so much it all makes sense to me now. I was afraid I was loosing it. I will follow your recommendations. The tree so far is growing lots of new leaves and the mature leaves are now solid.
