Chinese Elm Progression Thread- need advice

[Jpour6]

Hello all,
I bought this Chinese elm in 2022 and wanted to share progression so far.


Over the years, I grew and cut back

Here is May 2023



Here is July 2023




June 2024



And this is the tree most recently today, 1/12/2025.


Trying to improve the primary structure and apex. Feel like the apex is a little hectic and branches might be too thick w internodes too long up top. Any advice or suggestions would be very much appreciated.

 

[BrianBay9]

I assume you like the S shaped trunk, since you bought it that way and didn't change it. Given that, the top of your tree loses that sinuous feel and the trunk goes straight up. It's kind of like you have a different tree at the top. I would suggest taking off that straight trunk segment (or air layering if you want another tree) and rebuilding the top with curves, using one of the limbs just below the straight bit.

 

[Jpour6]

I assume you like the S shaped trunk, since you bought it that way and didn't change it. Given that, the top of your tree loses that sinuous feel and the trunk goes straight up. It's kind of like you have a different tree at the top. I would suggest taking off that straight trunk segment (or air layering if you want another tree) and rebuilding the top with curves, using one of the limbs just below the straight bit.

Not a big plan of S shaped trees, this was just one of my first trees I purchased and it’s how it came.
My plan was where to cut at red lines but what I’m hearing from you, best to cut where the blue line is? That’s three years of growth

 

[BrianBay9]

Not a big plan of S shaped trees, this was just one of my first trees I purchased and it’s how it came.
My plan was where to cut at red lines but what I’m hearing from you, best to cut where the blue line is? That’s three years of growth

View attachment 579984

That's why you might want to air layer that off. If you don't like the S-curved lower trunk, you can rework the entire tree - change the planting angle and use the branches at the second curve from the bottom to start a new top. That would help to minimize the S shape. You could still air layer above that and start a second tree. Your first task, it seems, is to settle on what you vision is for your tree.

 

[Jpour6]

Everyone else agree to just chop the top at blue line?

 

[Gabler]

I'd chop it much lower, maybe just above the first branch.

 

[Wulfskaar]

Everyone else agree to just chop the top at blue line?

Maybe above the first little branch above the blue line? It carries on the design with another curve.

 

[SeanS]

The branching could also do with a bit of work, there are long thick sections with no ramification. The finer branches are way out towards the ends of the primary branches that come out of the trunk. There’s anlso very little taper in the current branches. Ideally you’d have the primary branches dividing into the secondary branching much closer to the trunk and get progressively thinner. You’d need to cut the existing branches back closer to the trunk to achieve this.



Here’s an example of an elm I’m currently growing. Obviously a much different style of tree but you can see that the branches divide very close to the trunk, with the future canopy being made up of finer and finer branches eventually.

 

[Shibui]

Everyone else agree to just chop the top at blue line?

Bonsai by committee consensus rarely satisfies the owner. There are lots of possibilities for this tree. Which one you choose will depend on what you will be happy with.

The red lines solve the worst problems and still leave you with a passable bonsai. Something like that would have been my conservative suggestion.
The blue line chop addresses another problem but does take the tree a few steps back in order to go forward. It would be another 3-4 years to develop a new apex.
@SeanS suggestion + chop the top somewhere addresses another possible problem and will probably ultimately give the best outcome but it's also taking another step back to go forwards. Allow a few extra years for that to achieve the goals.

Every grower has different ideals and limits. Every grower will make different choices based on those.
Your tree, your choices.

 

[Jpour6]

This it is then. I’m all about doing it right regardless of however much longer it puts me back.
Thank you all for the insight and commentary

 

[RoadManDenDron]

For me one of the beautiful things with elms is their ability to root as cuttings,

The more you cut off, the more new trees you can make

I'm also team low chop here,

I would also consider chopping slightly lower than your last image, to avoid having that swelling in the upper trunk in the design for this tree- and to use that swelling as the start of a cool mini elm from a cutting!