Double exposure – for indoor and outdoor.
Common Name: Chinese Ulm (also Chinese Zelcova)
Scientific Name: Ulmus Parvifolia
Characterisation: Originally from China, Korea and Japan, it belongs to the Ulmaceae family.
Also known as the Chinese Zelcova, it is a small-leaved, semi-deciduous or deciduous tree that is highly prized in Bonsai for its fine branching, bark (it creates “scales” with age) and easy shaping.
Location: Ideally it likes to live outdoors (where it can behave like a deciduous tree in harsher winters), but if grown indoors well exposed to light and sun without air conditioning, it lives in good conditions in both locations, it is essential to get 2-3 hours of direct sunlight a day, and if indoors it should always be near a window without curtains or blinds.
Watering: Water consumption depends very much on the stage of vegetation it is in, with high consumption when it has a new leaf, which becomes more moderate as the leaf “matures”.
Water the soil abundantly until enough water comes out of the drainage holes to evenly moisten the soil, always from above (never by immersion), using a watering can with very fine drains (there are specific ones for Bonsai).
Allow the top layer of soil to dry out between each watering (to check if the plant needs water, touch the soil with your fingers). If you have a dish under the Bonsai, never leave any water in it (to prevent the roots from rotting). There is no advantage in spraying the leaves, only do it on days when you fertilise and if the fertiliser is specifically for foliar application, but make sure they get dry at night to avoid fungus.