AusBonsai

Hi Guys,

was out and about today and noticed what I think are a few English elms around a local walking track. I would love to dig a couple.
For starters can someone please confirm if they are In fact English elm and what are they like to dig out? Do they have a large tap root etc..
Thanks.

Most probably they are suckers and all connected to large roots. You need to wait until winter.

Yes they are English elm and,as Mike said, Best time is late August.

The others have already pointed out that these will be English elm suckers. When you dig down the trunks will be growing directly from large roots coming from a nearby tree.
When the time comes to dig them up look for trunks that have some small feeder roots. You can cut the trunk above the main root even if there are only a few small feeder roots on the trunk. These guys transplant quite easily so you don't need many roots for them to survive. If there's no feeder roots growing from the trunk I usually take a short section of the root it is growing from. Doesn't matter if there are no feeder roots - they will grow when the tree starts to grow in spring.
These are so common it is not worth collecting straight trunks unless you want a broom style tree. Look at lots and just collect a few of the best for bonsai.

Like other elms they also grow from root cuttings so if you find any really nice pieces of root they will strike and can make nice trunks.

Thanks guys..i actually did think the smaller shoots would be suckers as they were everywhere and there was a large parent tree near by. I didn't realise thanks Shibui that you could take a root cutting.. That's what I'm on here for to learn..
Thanks again