Would a Chinese Elm work indoors?

[C.A. Young]

Indoor elms

"Chinese elms (ulmus parvifolia) are one of the few species that break the rules of indoors/outdoors."

It doesn't break any "rules" about indoor care. It simply tolerates it better than many other species--and in most cases only for a relatively short time (and short includes a few years compared to decades or even centuries outdoors). ANY species can be kept indoors given the right conditions (and providing the right conditions is the long war of indoor bonsai that is mostly futile--short of making your basement into a pricey tropical hothouse) If you want to eliminate the stress of indoor care and the resulting mostly disappointing results, this species should remain outdoors.

The long and short of is mostly if you want a grouping that doesn't stagger by every year and is a robust, healthy and faster developing (and alive) tree, then keep it outdoors

To GarlR,

I guess the consensus here is that you shouldn't try to keep your elm indoors year round. As I don't grow them myself, I defer to rockm and the others. However, if you're really interested in indoor trees, why not try one of the following (all of which I have kept indoors with great success):

- Any fig, but especially retusa, and nerifolia
- one of the semi-tropical privets
- Grewia
- sageretia
- fukien tea
- calliandra

The first three are easy and will tolerate lower humidity and light--though the grewia won't bloom for you in these conditions. The latter three will also survive indoors, but the sageretia sulks in low humidity, and the fuke and calliandra tend to pout after repots.

 

[milehigh_7]

Mile, your post is a bit harsh. Seriously man, lighten up.

His post really wasnt rude.
All he said was he didnt read it because it wasnt formatted correctly for him to be able to.
It doesnt matter why and to be honest I cant blame him for getting a little defensive because its none of our buisness.

I shall try to understand. However, your words are a paradox...

 

[Paradox]

I shall try to understand. However, your words are a paradox...

If you choose to think that everyone who contradicts your opinion as being rude, that is your problem and only your problem. Alienating and abusing someone just because they disagree with you doesn't solve anything and just serves as a deterant to people who might like to come here and learn about bonsai trees.

So are you here to foster and promote bonsai or are you here to stroke your ego by abusing people over the internet?

 

[KennedyMarx]

GarlR could have simply said he couldn't read the article because of his dyslexia, but he didn't until several posts after he had been called out for being rude. It wouldn't hurt to be a little more considerate when people are trying to help you.

Enough of the drama, let's get back to bonsai.

 

[coh]

Since it was my suggestion that triggered the reply in question (from GarlR), I will say that I found it somewhat rude. Even if he didn't want to mention the dyslexia, he could have said something like "the formatting of that article makes it difficult for me to read" instead of "Chris, yeah not reading that. lol He needs to learn how to format it better." I know that I have a hard time reading websites that are white text on black background...but there are ways to deal with it without being rude (or flippant) to people who are trying to help.

I do think it's time to move on...will be interesting to see if we hear further from GarlR.

Chris

 

[milehigh_7]

If you choose to think that everyone who contradicts your opinion as being rude, that is your problem and only your problem. Alienating and abusing someone just because they disagree with you doesn't solve anything and just serves as a deterant to people who might like to come here and learn about bonsai trees.

So are you here to foster and promote bonsai or are you here to stroke your ego by abusing people over the internet?

If I came across in a hostile manner I apologize.

 

[Anthony]

GarlR,

this may help. From the tropics, we have been growing Chinese elms, Catlin and Seiju for over 30 years, and they do slow in growth for around December to February, but they don't drop their leaves, they just continue to yellow one by one slowly as leaves normally age.

Our lowest low is 65 deg.F and high is around 90-93 for about an hour during the day. We do not have over 100 deg.F. highs like the US for nights nor for days on end.
Chinese elms seem to respond to day length changes, not cold.
They enjoy full sun with a humidity between 80 % to as low as 55%.

So you can always try a root, as they will sprout. Zero cost.
Happy trails.
Anthony