Chinese Elm Bonsai
A Quick Guide to the Chinese Elm Bonsai
The Chinese Elm bonsai plant is a very popular bonsai with people who indulge in the hobby of growing miniature trees. This is a hobby that people all over the world have begun to take an interest in.
The bonsai tree is a small version of a larger tree; and it is truly awe inspiring to see these miniature versions of huge trees. The art of growing the bonsai tree was at one time an art form that was only practiced by those in Asia, and these gardeners guarded their techniques closely, but this isn’t the case any longer, these days a number of people know how to grow plants like the Chinese Elm bonsai.
If you are interested in the Chinese Elm bonsai, the first thing to know is that there are at least 45 different species of this bonsai, with most of them being evergreens. These trees are native to regions in the north, and are commonly found in wooded areas. One tree that is very close to the Elm bonsai is the Zelkova, which is also known as the Japanese Elm; this tree is so close to the Chinese Elm that the only real way you can tell them apart is by their fruit. With the Chinese Elm the fruit it produces will have wings, but the Japanese species produces fruit that has no wings.
Many people buy the Chinese Elm bonsai to add to the décor in their house, these bonsai also look great in the yard and patio. To grow this bonsai inside you will have to place the tree in an area of your house that gets plenty of sun, plus you will need to have enough humidity in the air for this tree to thrive.
During the warmer months when all danger of frost is passed, you can place the Chinese Elm bonsai outdoors where it will get more sun, but you will have to be sure that you bring in the tree before the first frost during the fall. When watering this plant, keep a close eye on the soil to ensure that you are not over watering. The soil should be slightly dry before you water.
If you are growing your Chinese Elm bonsai outside and plan to keep the tree outdoors all the time, it will adjust to the changing seasons with no problem. You should have no difficulty with this unless the winter temperature goes into a deep freeze. In this case the tree might freeze and it is advisable to bring it in.
To prune this bonsai you will want to trim off about two to three inches on the branches during the fall. Make sure you are shaping the tree correctly while you are trimming, as this is the secret to getting the bonsai to resemble the full-grown version of the tree. While you are trimming your bonsai you will want to inspect it for pests that might eat your tree, though this will likely be a bigger problem if you keep the tree outdoors a lot of the time, it is a good idea to do this even if your plant is an inside bonsai.
If you are new to growing bonsai trees, the Chinese Elm bonsai is definitely one you might want to start out with; this is a good species for beginners, as well as those who are advanced in the technique of growing these trees. This tree is attractive, easy to grow, and doesn’t require a great deal of care or special soil.
You can either order Chinese Elm bonsai trees from the Internet or you may be able to find them at your local nursery.