Cork Bark Elm

JTGJr25 · 03-02-2008, 09:48 PM

Hi all. I just went to the Philadelphia Flower Show Today and came home happy with a new tree. The show was great and I took pics of some of the bonsai they had on display. I you want I'll post them here.

Anyway, the tree I bought is a Cork Bark Elm. It is about 1" across just above the root base and the roots spread about 3". The smaller surface roots will be removed and the base will be revealed when I can repot it. It seems as though the tree was dug from the ground the year before because the soil close to the base is not potting soil.

The tree was also chopped last year and the cop site will still need to heal for a couple more years. They used some kind of cement to seal it.

As for the styling, I'm not sure if I should remove all the branches and grow new ones or work with what it has. I'm leaning toward the latter. Sorry my pics don't show the branch structure but I'll get better ones later.

For now I'm going to work on the roots. I'm not sure what I should do though, I would like to repot it this year out of this soil but it has already leafed out. Could I get away with repotting still? The roots are growing out the bottom and I just don't feel comfortable leaving it in this soil for another year but if I have to I will.

Well here are the pics, you can tell which roots need to be removed. Oh if your wondering, I paid $60 for it which to me was worth it. The pics don't show it too well but the bark is just amazing.

Tom

Glider · 03-03-2008, 03:05 AM

In my experience, you could get away with repotting now as long as you are not too brutal with the roots. My ulmus neri is very tolerant of repotting (as are most elm). If there's major root work to be done, do it over two or three seasons rather than all at once.

As the leaves are already out, you could ease the demand on the roots by partial defoliation (the degree would depend on how much root you removed). Like most elm, it will begin to grow vigorously again when it's ready.

If you have any doubts about doing it this year, you could always slip pot it until next spring.

JTGJr25 · 03-03-2008, 05:55 AM

Well if I do repot it, I would remove all traces of the old soil and cut off the unwanted surface roots. I would only trim the roots enough to fit it into thes pot again and then next year I'll do more extensive work and plant it in a pond basket. I'll wait for more opinions before I decide.

Tom

centaura · 03-03-2008, 09:23 AM

If this were July or August, I would be against repotting now, but you should be fine since its still early spring. Even though its leafed out, I would still consider this an optimal time to repot. Take some of the obviously unwanted branches off at the same time, and you'll reduce the load the tree wants to pull off its roots.

-Centaura

Shady Side Bonsai · 03-03-2008, 10:13 AM

Tom, I would be cautious about repotting your new acquisition now. I cite a couple of reasons.

I grow cork bark elm and have found in our area (mid-Atlantic) that repotting before the end of March can lead to serious die back. We are still subject to some brutal temperature fluctuation's. Leading to possible freeze damage to the roots.

Your tree pictured is in leaf. So my guess is that its been grown in a green house either on a full time basis or in an effort to get it gussied up for the show. Either way it will be very susceptible to our temperatures right now in an outdoor environment so be sure to protect it.

You have made a nice find congratulations. Cork bark elms are definitely one of my favorites. The one below is one of my pride and joys...sorry about the lousy picture quality.

JTGJr25 · 03-03-2008, 01:37 PM

Thanks for the reply's, but I have decided to stay cautious here because I really don't want to kill this one. I have pruned off some of the bad surface roots and trimmed the roots off that were growing from the holes in the bottom.

Tom, thanks for the info. I'm quite partial to these trees as well. I only have one other tree that is you and I plan on taking some cuttings from it and making a broom out of it after it grows a bit more. That is a nice one you have as well. I stood over this one for a good 10 minutes thinking about if it would be worth the money. Then another guy came up and was saying how nice it was so I took it and hand them hold on to it for me while I decided. I obviously bought it and don't regret it. I finally found something that wont take years to develop a nice trunk.

Heres some better pics, its outside for a little while soaking up the sun in 60 degree weather but I will mostly be keeping it in the house under a grow light.

Tom

PS: Could you give a little more info on your elm. Did you grow it yourself from a seedling? How long have you had it? What are your plans?

Shady Side Bonsai · 03-03-2008, 06:42 PM

Tom, didn't grow this one from seed. I bought the material years and years ago. Its present dimensions are approximately 27 tall, 21 wide, with a 12.5 inch nebari. It has yielded hundreds of cuttings through the years which root with ease. So your idea about taking some cuttings is a good one..these elms grow extremely fast. The best way that I can give you some history is with a few photos and a sketch of where my minds eye wants it to go.

The first picture is early on after the trees nebari was developed and its ready for its first styling. The second picture is of its first styling also known as a chopfest. The trunk and nebari had been developed now was the time to grow the branches in the right places. The third picture shows how the trunk was callousing which with elm can happen rapidly. The fourth picture is a few years down the road from the initial heavy pruning. All the primary branch structure is in place and about 60 percent of the secondary. The tree is vigorous and shows no signs of slowing down. The last picture is a sketch of what was in mind before the first branch was ever cut and where I believe it is heading. Based on the picture in the previous post I am not that far away. This spring it finally gets after all these years its finished pot. Providing I can find one that is suitable, and I won't have to mortgage the farm to get.

JTGJr25 · 03-03-2008, 08:09 PM

that is a great tree and great work on it. After see how you hacked it up I'm wondering if I should do the same and cut off the larger branches, down the road of course. Although, I believe the first branch is usable, Idk so much to think about. Anyway nothing will be done this year except for fertilizing, by the way what do you fertilize yours with?

Tom

Edit: Another question, since you have experience with this species, will it respond well to a good chopping up just after a re-pot or should I wait a year and let the roots take hold?

Prowler · 03-03-2008, 08:32 PM

Shady i have a large Elm, much the same as your pic. #4
It has always bugged me, it's not a cork bark Elm but a Szechuan Elm imported from China, i believe from the Yangtze river.The reason it has me upset is it does not go into dormancy, except for this year, after reading this post from Tom i flew outside to check it. Bent a couple of small branches over nice and supple, green inside, i may attempt that hollowed out trunk this year.
This tree i have posted on the site before, it is a large bugger, had it for a few yrs. tough as old boots. Cheers.
PS. all new growth is a sort of red colour, very nice indeed.

Shady Side Bonsai · 03-03-2008, 10:57 PM

Tom, I fert with a organic originally green dream as I sell it and then switched to my own brand cake we manufacture. I supplement with fert like miracle grow every other week and also foliar feed with fish emulsion.

If you repot this spring wait at least till very early fall to hard prune, however if you can wait. I would say next year is the safest bet

03-02-2008, 09:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
JTGJr25 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: South Jersey Posts: 230	Cork Bark Elm Hi all. I just went to the Philadelphia Flower Show Today and came home happy with a new tree. The show was great and I took pics of some of the bonsai they had on display. I you want I'll post them here. Anyway, the tree I bought is a Cork Bark Elm. It is about 1" across just above the root base and the roots spread about 3". The smaller surface roots will be removed and the base will be revealed when I can repot it. It seems as though the tree was dug from the ground the year before because the soil close to the base is not potting soil. The tree was also chopped last year and the cop site will still need to heal for a couple more years. They used some kind of cement to seal it. As for the styling, I'm not sure if I should remove all the branches and grow new ones or work with what it has. I'm leaning toward the latter. Sorry my pics don't show the branch structure but I'll get better ones later. For now I'm going to work on the roots. I'm not sure what I should do though, I would like to repot it this year out of this soil but it has already leafed out. Could I get away with repotting still? The roots are growing out the bottom and I just don't feel comfortable leaving it in this soil for another year but if I have to I will. Well here are the pics, you can tell which roots need to be removed. Oh if your wondering, I paid $60 for it which to me was worth it. The pics don't show it too well but the bark is just amazing. Tom

03-03-2008, 01:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
JTGJr25 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: South Jersey Posts: 230	Thanks for the reply's, but I have decided to stay cautious here because I really don't want to kill this one. I have pruned off some of the bad surface roots and trimmed the roots off that were growing from the holes in the bottom. Tom, thanks for the info. I'm quite partial to these trees as well. I only have one other tree that is you and I plan on taking some cuttings from it and making a broom out of it after it grows a bit more. That is a nice one you have as well. I stood over this one for a good 10 minutes thinking about if it would be worth the money. Then another guy came up and was saying how nice it was so I took it and hand them hold on to it for me while I decided. I obviously bought it and don't regret it. I finally found something that wont take years to develop a nice trunk. Heres some better pics, its outside for a little while soaking up the sun in 60 degree weather but I will mostly be keeping it in the house under a grow light. Tom PS: Could you give a little more info on your elm. Did you grow it yourself from a seedling? How long have you had it? What are your plans? Last edited by JTGJr25; 03-03-2008 at 02:21 PM..

03-03-2008, 08:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
JTGJr25 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: South Jersey Posts: 230	that is a great tree and great work on it. After see how you hacked it up I'm wondering if I should do the same and cut off the larger branches, down the road of course. Although, I believe the first branch is usable, Idk so much to think about. Anyway nothing will be done this year except for fertilizing, by the way what do you fertilize yours with? Tom Edit: Another question, since you have experience with this species, will it respond well to a good chopping up just after a re-pot or should I wait a year and let the roots take hold? Last edited by JTGJr25; 03-03-2008 at 09:12 PM..

03-03-2008, 08:32 PM	#9 (permalink)
Prowler Deceased: 11/24/2008 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Scotland Posts: 361	Shady i have a large Elm, much the same as your pic. #4 It has always bugged me, it's not a cork bark Elm but a Szechuan Elm imported from China, i believe from the Yangtze river.The reason it has me upset is it does not go into dormancy, except for this year, after reading this post from Tom i flew outside to check it. Bent a couple of small branches over nice and supple, green inside, i may attempt that hollowed out trunk this year. This tree i have posted on the site before, it is a large bugger, had it for a few yrs. tough as old boots. Cheers. PS. all new growth is a sort of red colour, very nice indeed. __________________ Its hell out there, give them hell back.

03-03-2008, 10:57 PM	#10 (permalink)
Shady Side Bonsai Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Glen Rock, Pa. Zone 6b Posts: 36	Tom, I fert with a organic originally green dream as I sell it and then switched to my own brand cake we manufacture. I supplement with fert like miracle grow every other week and also foliar feed with fish emulsion. If you repot this spring wait at least till very early fall to hard prune, however if you can wait. I would say next year is the safest bet __________________ Cheers, Tom Shady Side Bonsai Bonsai Vault 4MAAT

03-03-2008, 03:05 AM	#2 (permalink)
Glider Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 70	In my experience, you could get away with repotting now as long as you are not too brutal with the roots. My ulmus neri is very tolerant of repotting (as are most elm). If there's major root work to be done, do it over two or three seasons rather than all at once. As the leaves are already out, you could ease the demand on the roots by partial defoliation (the degree would depend on how much root you removed). Like most elm, it will begin to grow vigorously again when it's ready. If you have any doubts about doing it this year, you could always slip pot it until next spring.

03-03-2008, 05:55 AM	#3 (permalink)
JTGJr25 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: South Jersey Posts: 230	Well if I do repot it, I would remove all traces of the old soil and cut off the unwanted surface roots. I would only trim the roots enough to fit it into thes pot again and then next year I'll do more extensive work and plant it in a pond basket. I'll wait for more opinions before I decide. Tom

03-03-2008, 09:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
centaura Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South Bend, IN Posts: 334	If this were July or August, I would be against repotting now, but you should be fine since its still early spring. Even though its leafed out, I would still consider this an optimal time to repot. Take some of the obviously unwanted branches off at the same time, and you'll reduce the load the tree wants to pull off its roots. -Centaura

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