AusBonsai

Here is my Hokkaido Elm which was powering along a month or so ago and now its loosing leaves from the outside of branches and twigs -- have been searching the forum and have found the term 'die back' associated with this elm but not a lot of info.

Q. Is this die back ? -- is it preventable
treatable
natural

And do Hokkaido loose leaves naturally in winter
Thanks

David

Hi David,

Hokkaido elms can have branch die back and as far as I'm aware is quite common. However the branching is prolific so you shouldn't have too much trouble growing a replacement. Also they will lose their leaves in winter but that depends on your climate- I'm in Sydney and my Hokkaido's lose roughly 50% each winter and the rest hang on - however they still shoot many new leaves in Spring. (colder climates will probably lose all of their leaves, warmer climate possibly never)

Chipper5

Hey David,

Yep it looses its leaves in winter and that is most likely what yours is doing. With regards dieback, there isnt alot of info because there isnt much known except that certain species are more prone to it than others but noone really knows why.

Matt

G'day David,
I 've had one for 3 years and it does the same this time of year, it comes back fine.

Glenn

chipper5 wrote:Hi David,

Hokkaido elms can have branch die back and as far as I'm aware is quite common. However the branching is prolific so you shouldn't have too much trouble growing a replacement. Also they will lose their leaves in winter but that depends on your climate- I'm in Sydney and my Hokkaido's lose roughly 50% each winter and the rest hang on - however they still shoot many new leaves in Spring. (colder climates will probably lose all of their leaves, warmer climate possibly never)

Chipper5

Here in sunny North Qld my hokkaido looses about 1/2 its leaves in winter, as do my other elms. Makes for a good time to wire! They haven't started yet though - more Junish.

Glenda

I agree with the above. This looks like normal end of year leaf shedding preparing for winter. I've been growing these for at least 20 years now.

You will know when you see dieback - an entire branch will turn brown or just not leaf out in spring. As far as I know there's nothing you can do to prevent it. Though it looks terrible, as Chipper points out, usually when you remove the affected branch it doesn't really leave much of a hole because the tree has so many shoots and any spaces that are created fill quite quickly.

In the beginning I removed affected branches quickly in an attempt to stop the problem spreading to other parts of the tree but more recently dead branches have been left on the tree all summer to see if there's any chance of them resprouting and there has been no sign of the problem spreading. No sign of reshooting either. It just seems to be one of the things you have to put up with if you grow hokkaido. The other is brittle branches - they break off if a bird perches or sometimes if you just brush past the tree so wiring is out. I find Seiju a much better variety than Hokkaido.

Thank you all for your help and reassurances.

And shibui thanks and I have to confess that I am self taught in snapping the Hokkaido branches.

Awaiting spring for deliverance.

Cheers David