My Japanese Small Leaf Elm

[Erndogy]

That's what was told to me when I bought it. Can anyone ID it? I took a root cutting from it when I re-potted it. That cutting has large leaves. I'll try to post some pics of the cutting later.



Thanks

Ernie

 

[evmibo]

I'm pretty sure that's Ulmus parvifolia (chinese elm), although some of the leaf serrations are pretty rounded. I would cover up the base a little more too, those roots will thicken faster.

 

[JudyB]

I agree with evimbo. Looks like Chinese elm to me as well. Nice movement from photo 2...

 

[augustine]

zelkova?

Best,
Augustine

 

[Erndogy]

I'm pretty sure that's Ulmus parvifolia (chinese elm)...

I agree with evimbo. Looks like Chinese elm to me as well. Nice movement from photo 2...

zelkova?

Best,
Augustine

I don't know.. I bought it from Mr Benny Kim of Kim's Bonsai and he has different types of elms. I think that if it was a Chinese elm or zelkova he would have said it was. All he said was it is a Japanese small leaf elm but couldn't remember the name. Mr. Kim is an older gentleman who, I have been told, has had some medical issues in the past few years and so he might have some trouble remembering some things. And I do have a couple zelkovas and I have noticed the new leaves are a red/burgundy color and I haven't seen that with this tree... But, I was looking back at previous elm posts and found this thread posted by JudyB and I think it looks a lot like mine. What do you think?

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?7183-Zelkova-broom-of-course

Ernie

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

It could be a Japanese 'Nire' Elm, Ulmus pumila. It doesn't look like zelkova.
FWIW, when photographing trees, they will turn out better with the sun at your back.

 

[JudyB]

But, I was looking back at previous elm posts and found this thread posted by JudyB and I think it looks a lot like mine. What do you think?

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?7183-Zelkova-broom-of-course

Ernie

I was wrong about that tree in the thread, and Ryan was right. The tree in the thread is a chinese elm. The leaves are slightly different than my other chinese elms, but it's still a chinese elm. maybe just a sport, but I have a zelkova that I got last year, that is really a zelkova, and the leaves on zelkova are markedly pointy-er.
I would not worry too much about the exact variety, as they are all treated the same.

 

[Erndogy]

It could be a Japanese 'Nire' Elm, Ulmus pumila. It doesn't look like zelkova.
FWIW, when photographing trees, they will turn out better with the sun at your back.

Thanks for the photography advise.. I noticed in pics of the Nire elm trees I found that the bark looks corky or rough looking. Unless its it only happens with age, mine doesn't look like that.

I was wrong about that tree in the thread, and Ryan was right. The tree in the thread is a chinese elm. The leaves are slightly different than my other chinese elms, but it's still a chinese elm. maybe just a sport, but I have a zelkova that I got last year, that is really a zelkova, and the leaves on zelkova are markedly pointy-er.
I would not worry too much about the exact variety, as they are all treated the same.

Yeah, I was just looking at the purty pictures and didn't read the thread..I remembered I had read it before but I guess I forgot the ending..
Yeah I was looking at the cutting I took from this tree and compared the leaves to a Chinese elm I have and a zelkova and it does seem to be a chinese elm.



The main difference I noticed between the zelkova and the chinese elm is the zelkova leaves have a thicker feel to them.

Now I have another question I hope someone can help me with about the cutting. Should I just let it grow out or should I remove one or two or more of the leaders growing out of it?

Thank

Ernie

 

[Smoke]

Whatever you decide to do, you need to do fast cause that thing will get fatter in a hurry. I would pick the largest and cut off the others. Don't trim the one shoot and let her go. In the spring you can cut it back to the first bud after the top of the root and continue on like this to develop some taper in a single trunk tree.


...or

..you could cut all those back to the first bud now and start developing a small broom style tree. Could be the shortest broom ever!

 

[Smoke]

Just so you know..

This is a small leaf elm. The leaves are very tiny. The internodes are like 1/8 inch. Slower grower.

This small tree is about 4 inches tall with a 7/8 inch trunk. Look at the back of a dime and notice that the leaves are no larger than the word "dime". The leaf to the left of the dime is a regular size elm leaf. I have two of these trees. They are pretty hard to find with any size to them. I keep these in full sun, 6 inch terra cotta pot.