Slender literati Ulmus P. material

[Per PF]

I aquired this Ulmus Parvifolia from a club member yesterday. Very excited about trying my hand on a sparse literati style! It stands at about 75 cm from rim to apex.

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It's been in cool-storage but I'm bringing it inside for an early wake up call, spring is almost around the corner.

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First order of business --> gotta' sort them roots...

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Anyone has experience with Ulmus as literati feel free to chime in

[shibui]

That certainly is a tall one however Ulmus are so good at budding from trunks and bare wood it does not have to stay as a tall, skinny tree if the literati idea doesn't work out.
I have one U.p as literati. It's a variety I call know as 'Catlin' which has a natural long, straight growth habit and the trunk initially looked good for literati.

I can't find any current photos but dredged up some older files for you

Catlin bunjin 2010 07 b.JPG

2010

catlin 2.JPG

2016

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2020

I've thinned out the branches a couple of times but it needs to be done again as it is getting less and less literati.

Good luck with yours too

[Per PF]

Thanks a bunch Neil.
I've been inspired by this excellent book:

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Literati Style Penjing - Chinese Bonsai Masterworks by Zhao Qingquan
So I'll make an honest effort to create a tall and slender penjing-literati style. Atm the plan is to rebuild and shorten the branches with clip and grow to create a contrast between the flowing line of the trunk and the angular branching.

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To my big surprise I found buds this evening! It woke from dormancy in about 72 hours So I plan to repot tomorrow night (unless anyone thinks that's unwise?)

[legoman_iac]

Regarding the roots ... I wonder if this species lends itself to air layering/pot layering (usually done towards end of spring/early summer)?

I've seen people use that technique to take control and grow new roots when they didn't like the old ones.

- Daniel

P.S Keen to see the prgoress on this!

[shibui]

To my big surprise I found buds this evening! It woke from dormancy in about 72 hours So I plan to repot tomorrow night (unless anyone thinks that's unwise?)

Not really surprising. Chinese elms tend to be the first to show new buds down here. I often get the first green shoots soon after mid winter.
Chinese elm do not actually drop leaves in warmer areas. Tropical growers had to make a decision to repot Chinese elms when they still had leaves and found no problem. From there they have tried all times of year and still no problem so it seems that Chinese elm can be repotted and root pruned any time of year.
Down here where winter is cooler and they do drop leaves and go (barely) dormant I've found some react badly to repot or transplant earlier in winter where the roots sit in cold, wet soil for several months so I tend to leave the Chinese elms until later. When you can see buds swelling that means roots are also becoming active so that's a safe time to repot. I guess you will want to keep it protected after repot until it is warm enough outside.

Regarding the roots ... I wonder if this species lends itself to air layering/pot layering (usually done towards end of spring/early summer)?

I've seen people use that technique to take control and grow new roots when they didn't like the old ones.

Chinese elm layer well.
From cuttings or seed they seem to usually develop just a few, long, fat roots around the trunk. Early root pruning helps develop a better radial root system. Layering is another way to promote a better nebari.

[Per PF]

Cheers for the interest guys. In regards to the optional dormancy: I should be able to give it a prolonged growing period if I let it rest for a couple of months in the fall/early winter and then grow it indoors until our proper summers here. Right now we're in early spring here.

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Still a little ways away....

Repotted last night!

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Prepared pot (Pot by Vic Harris from Erin Pottery in the UK)

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The roots were worse than I thought (but in keeping with the species...) - basically one long curly thick going back on itself.. I pruned it pretty hard to fit it at the angle I wanted.
The thing I've struggled with the most so far has been the tiedowns. I know the theories but in practice it can be a bit finicky...

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Lots of root cuttings!
The results:

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I improvised a sort of three point display last night

I kind of girdled the trunk base with the tiedowns - if it's kept under the soil level I might get better roots to cut back to (?)

I'll start the foliage pruning a little while after the first flush has hardened to get it tighter and more ramified.

[SquatJar]

That is a really pleasant composition. Simple and elegant, congrats

[Per PF]

So this has been doing ok. It had some foliage problems in the beginning of summer and the growth has mainly been from the five surprise shoots growing from its base

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I restarted the branches and it's been budding all over.

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I rubbed off the lower ones still sticking to the literati plan - but in a clump style

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