help - what am I ?

[BUTLER_B2]

anyone recognise this species? thank you

https://s954.photobucket.com/albums/ae28/butler_b2/

[TomM]

OMG - the trunk looks enormous !! Not a good close-up of the leaves, and that is crucial to an accurate ID.

Butler, I think you have a very large ficus, but I can't be sure. What can you tell us about it? And what part of the world are you in?

[BUTLER_B2]

Hi Tom I have added a close up for the leaf. I'm from the UK and my friend offered to sell me the tree, but I have no idea what is a fair price, or if this is a good speciman, I always understood the smaller the better in Bonsai.

thanks for your help
https://i954.photobucket.com/albums/ae28/butler_b2/leaf.jpg

[Gnome]

BUTLER_B2,

Now that we have a closeup I doubt that this is a Ficus, I think Tom will agree. Another popular bonsai specimen is Chinese Elm and this does bear a resemblance that species. Something about that ID does not feel right though, perhaps it's just because I can't see it in person, but I'm far from convinced. Still, here are some pictures for you to compare against.

Shoot comparison of Zelkova and Chinese Elm that I often post to help clarify the difference. Chinese Elm on the right.

[url=https://img255.imageshack.us/I/zelelmzz6.jpg/][img]https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/2258/zelelmzz6.th.jpg[/img][/url]

And here are four different variations on the Chinese Elm leaf.

[url=https://img244.imageshack.us/I/elmleavesnq3.jpg/][img]https://img244.imageshack.us/img244/2779/elmleavesnq3.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Sorry I can't be more definitive. Hopefully someone else will have another option for you to consider. Doesn't your friend know what species he's growing?

Norm

[TomM]

I agree with Norm - yet am a bit puzzled too. The leaves seem to have more sheen than I would expect from elm or zelkova. But that might just be from the photo. Interesting !!