New CH Elm Exposed Roots

[Astrobonsai]

I have been growing bonsai for about five years now and feel comfortable with many different designs in a variety of trees. That being said, I recently got this Chinese Elm and I am not sure if the root situation will allow me to grow proper nebari in the future. This is my 5th CH Elm and until now all of them have a nice wide trunk that meets the soil and has appropriate taper. This tree also doesn’t feel firm in the ground which makes me nervous. Is this “design” aesthetically desirable, will I have problems in the future from this design? It really doesn’t feel like this tree could hold a canopy as robust as my others, without a robust canopy what is the point for a Chinese Elm? Also I live in Phoenix Arizona where it is obviously very hot and dry so even growing bonsai sometimes is a miracle, will having this plants trunk so high above the soil line cause issues with watering/drying out more rapidly? Are these considered the roots of the trees since they are lignified, or is this a tangling trunk? I know I could bury it and that roots would sprout but Is it necessary? We do get some pretty intense winds from time to time and all of my trees do just fine but this one is wobbly enough that I worry it would stress its points of contact with the soil. I have the option to return it for a different tree but I hate doing that because I don’t know if this tree will just end up dying or being discarded. If this looks like a decent tree for $120 then please just tell me, I fully recognize the uniqueness of every single tree but for the price point I don’t want to get myself into a pickle given my growing environment. Overall I just want to know my options, could I do root over rock, or put something in between those roots to strengthen the overall base for the tree? If I bury it in the ground or in a large pot will those roots grow together? Or should I just exchange it for a tree that has a stronger base?

 

[Gabler]

Is this “design” aesthetically desirable, will I have problems in the future from this design?

You answered your own question.

This tree also doesn’t feel firm in the ground ...

I agree. It looks a little awkward. Fortunately, it's an easy fix. This is an elm so you could probably chop off all of the current roots in the spring and regrow the entire root system. To play it safer, you could ground layer each of the exposed roots to get more branching near the base of the trunk and develop a nebari from there. That would be my approach, anyway.

 

[Shibui]

Also I live in Phoenix Arizona where it is obviously very hot and dry so even growing bonsai sometimes is a miracle, will having this plants trunk so high above the soil line cause issues with watering/drying out more rapidly?

No.

Are these considered the roots of the trees since they are lignified, or is this a tangling trunk?

Roots that are exposed above ground essentially become trunk. There's really very little difference between main roots and trunk anyway. Your exposed roots will behave no differently than any other Chinese elm trunk. If you have any problem with that tree, it definitely won't be the exposed roots that caused it.

but this one is wobbly enough that I worry it would stress its points of contact with the soil.

I suspect the wobbliness is because all the roots are in a single line so no width to spread the load into the soil. If that was my tree I would repot and move the roots to a more attractive arrangement. Probably bring the thicker one a little further forward. Exposed roots should compliment the rest of the tree. Some arrangements look better than others, just as some branch arrangement looks good and some don't. Unfortunately, big, commercial producers don't always have time to create the best trees. Many just concentrate on cheap trees which means less time on styling to make good trees.
Chinese elm roots are usually very flexible so making the change should be easy.

It may also be wobbly simply because it was recently repotted and has not yet had a chance to fill the pot with roots.

 

[SeanS]

I’d embrace the exposed roots and build a design around them. I’d chop the existing trunk off about 1/2” above where the roots meet and regrow the tree as a neagari style

Here’s one I have that I started from a root cutting (on the right)