Whether you are a beginner bonsai enthusiasts or a regular bonsai lover, ulmus bonsai, also known as Chinese elm is the right option for you.
Ulmus bonsai are native to China, Korea and Taiwan and mainly grown in a spreading broom shape.
Types of Ulmus Bonsai There are various species of ulmus bonsai, like 'Hokkaido', 'Seiju' and 'Catlin'.
The first two are grown in almost frond-like with tightly bunched and alternating leaves on their shoots, the latter one is relatively short and comes with small leaves.
The best cultivated ulmus bonsai Often sold as indoor bonsai trees, Ulmus parvifolia is perhaps one of the best grown bonsais.
One of the best choices for bonsai cultivation, this ulmus parvolia is considered among the most adaptable to different climates.
Often characterized as 'nearly impossible to kill', this form of ulmus bonsai is suited to the development of bonsai and a good structure is easy to get with the minimum efforts.
The fully frost and hardy Chinese Elms are temperate trees if grown indoors remain evergreen while the outdoor cultivation results in a deciduous tree.
The indoor ulmus bonsai are never as vigorous as their outdoor counterparts.
More about ulmus bonsai Ulmus bonsai are generally fast growing plants and can grow in any soil medium.
Though their roots should stay moist, wet feet on a continual basis is not perfect for this plant.
You can keep tabs on the moisture uptake for the tree.
In case the soil takes more time to become dry, you can cut back on the fertilization.
For a perfect growth, you will need to use an open and granular medium for good drainage.
When kept in bonsai pot, the trunks of popular ulmus bonsai do not thicken quickly but the shoot growth can be very good if well-fed.
During the development stage, the plant should be fed once or twice in a month, in case of more developed plants; it should be fed less often for keeping the fine structure in check.
Leafs Ulmus bonsai or Chinese elms have different leaf pattern with naturally short internodes that make styling possible.
The leaf sizes makes possible to grow these trees for large, medium as well as small bonsai.
The roots The one thing that is not so good in the physical structure of Chinese elm is the structure of the surface roots.
These tangled masses of ropy roots look ugly and are often above the soil line.
When looking for ulmus bonsai, go for the ones that have spreading root structure that emerge from all sides of the trunk.
Styling the branches Styling the branches is very interesting in Chinese elms; it can be formed by clipping and growing or by wiring.
Since they grow in abundance, if the plants are wired, it will hold their new shape.
If you are thinking of wiring the branches, make sure that you keep close tabs on the growth of the branch.
Wire the shoots since they harden off when you know what shape you want to give the bonsai at that point.
After the leaves have fallen, it will be easier for you to wire them, since you will be able to see what you are wiring.
When wiring in late winter, give extra protection from the winter cold to your plant and remove the wire before the new buds come during spring.
Repotting Repotting can be done either in spring or in fall.
Repotting every year can be necessary in some cases and it is recommended that you wash the root pad clean so that you can see everything that is in the root structure.
When you are cutting the roots, do that carefully so that the roots are not crushed.
Diseases The black spot fungus is the only common disorder that attacks this type of bonsai if the tree is kept in constant moisture and during wet spring.
Fungicides have proved to be helpful.