Hokkaido Elm

[kcpoole]

I also got this one too with my bonus.

Also suggestions accepted

Ken

[Bretts]

Nice one KC. Do you know if this is the Hokkaido "strong" variety that Ray developed?

I think there might be an air layer or two on this one. Have you thought about being quick with the ideas and get teh airlayers going ASAP ?

Edit oh the seiju grows well by cuttings so I guess this may be teh same!

[MasonC]

love it! can you get some close shots of the bark?

[Jester]

Gosh, nice specimen for a Hokkaido Ken. I don't think I've seen one with such a thick trunk. Good luck with that mate!!

[kcpoole]

Hey thansk all
I will get some close ups for you tomorrow Mason
Brett Yes i have thought about layering the top off. I ma thinking of using the thinner vertical branch as the apex and this will let me Layer the thicker back section off for a nice shohin / mame tree.

Yes Bretts it is Rays own he has

[Jamie]

wicked tree mate, gonna be brilliant in a few years, and for the price of it i gotta get me one of these, even if it does cost me a bit in postage cant see it being to dear though

when you air layer that top of and chose a new leader you will be on track to a sweet as tree pal

jamie

[Pup]

Ken. that does not look like my Hokkeido elms the bark on yours is more like Seiju.
Are the leaves on yours opposite or alternate.
You have said it is one that Ray has developed. Hokkeido's are one of the slowest growing of the elm cultivars. That is my main reason for these questions. Under normal circumstances with them what you have would be 20 plus years of growth.

Cheers Pup

[kcpoole]

Ken. that does not look like my Hokkeido elms the bark on yours is more like Seiju.
Are the leaves on yours opposite or alternate.
You have said it is one that Ray has developed. Hokkeido's are one of the slowest growing of the elm cultivars. That is my main reason for these questions. Under normal circumstances with them what you have would be 20 plus years of growth.

Cheers Pup

The Leaves are too damn small to see
Nah not really, they are alternate I think, but will check in the morning

[Jamie]

pup,

when you say hokkaido elm is one of the slowest growing cultivars of elm how would you compare this? would you say to a normal chinese elm it is half as quick in its growth??
i cant think of a way to put my question with out making it confusing

for example say a standard chinese elm puts on an inch of trunk diameter in 3 years to compare the hokkaido elm would put on...?

(and that example isnt as correct as it should be, i dont know the trunk thickening rate of them )


jamie

[NathanM]

This one is fantastic too. Ken!
Good quality trees and good prices.

[Pup]

Jamie to answer an Hokkeido will be 20 plus years at about two thirds the size that Ken has.

My minis of Hokkeido are 23 years old. They have always been in Bonsai pots though. When I strike cuttings I keep them for about 1 year in a nursery pot 6cm or tubes then move them on.

It is just the bark I have is not corky like Ken's either. As has been said it is a cultivar bred by Ray.

The reason I ask of the leaves is I have had this discussion with a nursery man here who tells me mine are Seiju with small leaves.
Seiju are opposite where as Hokkeido are alternate.
Both are small, although the Hokkeido will come down to less than 2mm.
Which is Ideal for Mame and Shito which are the two smallest sizes.
Mine were imported from Japan in 1986 when we could still import elms. It was imported as a Nire geyaki a type of Japanese elm.

To quote Classic Bonsai of Japan plate 162, Nire-geyaki a type of Japanese elm ( Ulmus parvifolia ) This specie's is suited to the miniature Bonsai; small leaves are a natural advantage, and dwarf varieties are often used. When cut back, the Nire geyaki often puts out shoots on the trunk, and is easy to make dense growth of small branches. The surface, too easily acquires an old, and roughened look. Replanting in a smaller pot would enhance this specimen's sense of scale. This last sentence I believe is meant for the one in the book.
I hope this helps you
Cheers Pup

[stymie]

If you have got Hokkaido buddy, don't try to bend the branches or they'll break. Cut and grow is the only way to style them as far as I have found. They bud back readily to give plenty of options for this method of growing.

[Bretts]

I find this interesting. I have a seiju elm from Leong at bonsai south and also one from Ray Nesci.
Both are alternate. There is a recent article on the Seiju Elm over at Bonsai Vault by Dave Bogan that got me wondering how the cultivar actually got to Australia?
http://www.bonsaivault.com/Seiju_Elms.html
As I understand it the Hokkaido is a cultivar from Ulmus parvifolia (does that mean sport?) and the seiju is a sport of the Hokkaido
Pause...........

I thought bugger lets go to the source and just gave Ray a call.
Answered alot of questions. His Hokkaido "strong" variety is a sport that he cultivated from the original Hokkaido species that was imported illegally in some one bra from America! 30 years ago. He believes the seiju elm is a sport from the corky bark elm but the little information about seiju on the Internet states it is a sport of the Hokkaido as well.
So my next question was what is the difference between his Hokkaido "strong" the seiju and the original Hokkaido. The Hokkaido "strong" is faster growing than the original as the seiju is and also has bendable branches like the seiju but still retains the extra small leaves of the Hokkaido.
Anyway all the Hokkaido's that Ray sells these days are the Hokkaido "strong" cultivar.
If you go here
http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/ulmus.htm
You can see descriptions and foliage pics from Brent Waltson of the Hokkaido and seiju Elm. I gather Rays Hokkaido "strong" is some where in between these too as far as leaf size and sparseness.
Maybe KC can get some good pics of the foliage of his to compare

[kcpoole]

Thanks Brett

I think it is a sport as it reverts back occasionally as can be seen in the second photo with both large and small leaves on the same tree

Pup, It is alternating leaves just like the a normal Ulnas

The branches are quite supple up to about 10mm and will have no issues bending them

Ken

Ps Ray has heaps of them in the ground too still growing

[kcpoole]

for the Bark lovers
here is the photos of the mature bark
Enjoy

Ken