Also known as the Japanese Grey Bark Elm, Zelkova serrata is a wonderful starting point as you enter the magical world of bonsai. It is a delightful deciduous tree with a naturally upright growing habit, peeling grey bark and serrated glossy dark green leaves.
Years of highly skilled training and pruning have resulted in an elegantly shaped miniature tree, grown in a special ceramic bonsai pot and already well established.
A native of Japan and China, Zelkova is happy in a cool, bright room away from heat sources, and it will also thrive outdoors from early summer, where it will soon acclimatise to cooler nights and warmer days. As a deciduous tree, it will lose its leaves in the autumn, and it’s at this time that you should bring it back indoors for the winter, gradually reacclimatising. Trees that have been kept indoors year-round may retain some of their foliage over winter.
Bonsai need regular watering as they can easily dry out. This is especially important if your Zelkova is growing outdoors, when the small amount of compost in the pot can dry out amazingly quickly on a warm, sunny day. Also, regular feeding between March and September is necessary to keep it growing healthily.
Pruning will be required to maintain the shape of your tree, so give it a light trim each autumn. Also, during the growing season any long shoots or crossing branches should be trimmed back.
Supplied ready planted, 22-25cm tall including a 12cm ceramic bonsai pot with tray.
Supplied ready planted, 22-25cm tall including a 12cm ceramic bonsai pot with tray.
General Bonsai Tree Care
Watering your Bonsai
Because it is restricted in a small pot, your bonsai will need checking morning and evening to see if it needs watering.
Keep your bonsai on its tray. This will catch the water draining through the holes in the bottom of the pot and will create some humidity around your bonsai, especially useful if you have central heating on.
Don't however let your bonsai sit in water as this can damage its roots.
Where to put your Bonsai
During winter place your bonsai in the brightest place possible, avoiding artificial heat such as radiators.
If placing your bonsai on a windowsill, keep it out of direct sunlight as they prefer cooler rooms.
During the summer, your bonsai will enjoy a spell outside, just remember to keep it in a bright, sheltered position.
Feeding your Bonsai
We always recommend feeding your bonsai with a specialist fertiliser - ordinary plant foods can be too strong for the bonsai and may scorch the roots. Feed once a week to once a fortnight during the spring, summer and autumn.
Reduce the feeding to approximately once a month in mid-winter when it is barely growing.
yellowing of the leaves if the bonsai is deficient in nutrients.
How to Prune Your Bonsai
Once new shoots have grown to about 2-3cm, using a sharp pair of bonsai scissors carefully cut back to the first pair of new leaves.
Your bonsai has individual branches and you should prune to maintain the gaps between them.
Prune regularly to maintain the shape - start as soon as you get your tree.