Hi, new Bonsai keeper saying hello

glened

Hi, i am new to the bonsai keeping hobby as my parents decided to buy me one this past weekend. I have spent alot of it trying to identify my new tree and i think its a Hornbeam of some desription.
Would anyone be able to confirm or lend their opinion to this deduction?

Thanks in Advance.
Glen
pictures are linked here

http://members.lycos.co.uk/thegougedeye/images/bonsai2.jpg

http://members.lycos.co.uk/thegougedeye/images/Bonsai1.jpg

freezingcold · Orange Belt Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Posts: 289

I do not think it is a hornbeam. It looks evergreen in my humble opinion.... .wait for the old timers to chip in Very Happy

daryl

Welcome to bonsai addiction Glen and well done for getting pictures in your first post. It really does help everyone to answer your questions easily. You'll get loads of expert help and advice here. Its a great site.

Your tree looks very like my chinese elm but I'm no expert.

Have a read of the articles on this site about Chinese Elm. There might be some pictures that you can compare. There is a search tab at the top of the home page.

Good luck
Daryl

Surrey John

Hi Glen - welcome to BH where all your questions will be treated courteously and in a friendly way. I do not think your tree is a hornbeam. Hornbeams are deciduous trees and their buds are just breaking at this time in the year. Your tree is far advanced in mature leaf and looks to me like a Chinese Elm. If I am right, then you definitely need to keep it outdoors, and keep the soil nicely moist throughout the summer, then it will do the rest for you.

HOWEVER - wait until you receive a couple more posts, as it could just be a Zelkova, or any one of several 'indoor' trees (i.e. tropical or semi-tropical trees needing warmth and humidity) that are outside my experience.

By the way - what's that swelling at the base of the trunk? Is the tree attached to a rock, or what?

Good luck with it!
Very Happy

SJ.

glened

Thanks for your help so far Very Happy

The swelling is the base of the trunk which looks to go across and the other branches go vertically.
Here is another pic (sorry about the quality, phone camera!)

http://members.lycos.co.uk/thegougedeye/images/Photo-0011.jpg

keithmart

Hi and welcome to the group.

I am certain that your tree is a chinese elm. It is typical of the cheap bonsai imports that you see in all the 'non bonsai' shops.

Chinese elm is a very forgiving tree, but it MUST be kept outside if it is to thrive.

These are often sold a indoor trees but you will find many references to them suffering from being kept indoors, on this site.

Keep the soil just moist and not too wet. do not let it dry out completely, and your only problem will be to keep the growth in check.

If the soil is not free draining, it would be a good idea to re-pot it now in a better compost. They are usually shipped in very poor soil, and have probably been in the same pot and soil for a number of years.

Good luck with it and come back with more questions. The only silly question is the one you don't ask!

Stymie

I agree that it looks like a chinese Elm [Ulmus parvifolia]. There is a short piece about them at the top of this forum which could be helpful. It will be happy outside. Keep the planting medium just moist if nature doesn't do it for you. Come back with any specific questions that you may have. You are very welcome to the friendliest bonsai site in the world.

Surrey John

Hi Glened. I just want to ask, through this post, whether other people agree that this could be a trunk on its side with branches, and if so could it be possible material in due course for a raft-style? Or, perhaps, a clump?

That'll be a long time ahead, of course, but it seems a possibility to me. Which leads me to wonder whether there are any Chinese Elm raft-style bonsai around?

Cheers Wink

SJ.

glened

looking at it, it does look like the trunk on its side with the branches rising up from it.

glened

Well, today i took the first and very daunting step of repotting, i read up on how to and took the leap, i decided to go with a 50/50 mix of peat free compost and tesco cat litter ( already had some in the cupboard). It all seemed to be fine to me but then again i'm no expert Embarassed

Here are some pictures and i have a couple more questions also Rolling Eyes

I found that the strange trunk at the base was due to the tree being place slanted diagonally across the pot.

Here are the roots when cleaned of the old soil. I cut about 1/3 to 1/2 off.
http://members.lycos.co.uk/thegougedeye/images/repotroot.jpg

Here are better pictures of the strange trunk base shape.
http://members.lycos.co.uk/thegougedeye/images/repottrunk1.jpg
http://members.lycos.co.uk/thegougedeye/images/repottop.jpg

and here is the final look, i would like to know how easy it would be to seperate the big upright trunk on the left to make a nice clean formal look ( broom i think its called).
http://members.lycos.co.uk/thegougedeye/images/repot%20final.jpg

I have some miracle-gro plant food that we use for our general plants , would this be suitable for feeding the tree and if so would i half the dosage ?

Any comments or advice are fully welcome, again thanks in advance .
Glen
Smile

Stymie

Miracle gro at half strength will <