topboost
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Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:11 am

Anyone know what month a Chinese elm should come into leaf?

Hi folks! I'm in the UK (East Anglia) and was wondering when Chinese elms should start becoming active and bursting into leaf...my maples and other trees are coming out, but the elms are still sticks! I know ash and oak are later (and are still bare at the mo), but I'm only used to native trees...when should I expect the elms to be out...or has the cold winter possibly nobbled them?!

linlaoboo
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Joined: Sat May 22, 2010 1:15 pm
Location: NJ

good question, I would like to know too. I just overwintered mine outside the past winter and since I brought it indoors a few weeks ago, it has leaved out but only on the lower trunk and it seems the rest of the tree up top is dead. I wonder how everyone elses's are doing? We had a harsh winter in our region.

One observation, I scraped the bark on the trunk that appears dead and got to see a layer of pale green to yellow color which quickly turns brown where as on the lower trunk that's definately alive it's bright green and juicy if u know what I mean.

topboost
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Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:11 am

Well at least you have some living parts left! Good luck with the bringing it back from the brink...I've got al olive (not bonsai, but small potted patio plant) that is just about hanging on...even thought it's been in an unheated greenhouse to keep the worst of the cold off. Think it was this deep cold/snow we had! I really hope I get one of my two elms up and living!

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Gnome
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Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A

topboost,

Most of my Chinese Elms are very reluctant to shed their leaves at all, but I don't subject them to the full brunt of my winters, keeping them in an unheated garage. Being sub-tropical they are adapted to a wide variety of conditions and seem able to hold on to their leaves when other, more local, species are in full dormancy.

Since yours are not leafing out, I have a bad feeling about them. How many specimens are we talking about and how did you overwinter them? Mine still have some of last years foliage and are just starting to push new leaves.

I have one different variety which sheds its leaves much more readily, but it too is showing signs of life now.

Try nipping the end from a shoot or two and see if there is green tissue present. You can also scrape the trunk with your fingernail and do the same.

Norm

topboost
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Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:11 am

Well I'm planning on a day in the garden/allotment, so one of my jobs will be to more closely inspect my teo elms...fingers crossed!!! I do have a bit of a bad feeling though...I overwintered them in a small plastic greenhouse thing (the sort of tent like ones) and with those -5 degree spells I have a feeling it may just have done for these two. It nearly got my olive tree, but that's just about holing on.



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