Frozen chinese elm

[Canoz]

Hello, I aquired a chinese elm last march. it has been in generaly good helth in my care untill last week.
the weather in vancouver went down into -12c and my elm spent a night or 2 in it. i moved it into my garage which might have been a bit
warmer, but i have since moved it outside again since it has warmed back up to the +.

unfortunaty all the leaves that where once a dark green are now brown. the vast majority have not fallin off thogh. am i right to asume its still in dormancy or is it dieing/dead?


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any help/advise would be apreatiated thank you!

[Gnome]

Canoz,

Chinese Elms are sometimes reluctant to drop their leaves during the winter. What happened, I feel, is that the cold snap finally put an end to them for the year. My handy dandy Metric conversion page tells me that -12C is 10F. At this temperature you should be OK. You might experience some minor die back but I doubt the tree will be in danger.

Norm

[cynthia_h]

Gnome, I have a cold-related question.

When we have a hard freeze (20 to 25 deg. F, or -7 to -8 deg. C), many outdoor jade plants (crassula) show freeze damage. However, the professionals say to Wait until Spring before cutting any stems off, because:

1) the plant might put out new growth, thinking "I've been pruned," and the new growth will die, further damaging the plant, and/or

2) the dead tissue will provide at least minimal protection to still-live plant tissues.

Is this also true of bonsai plants? Is there a difference from indoor vs. outdoor?

Thank you.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[Gnome]

Cynthia,

In my area I must keep Jades inside for the winter so I don't have any direct experience with your situation. The mushy parts will not recover, but of course you know this. I do know that hard pruning of deciduous trees in the fall may stimulate tender growth that might not survive the winter, so I avoid late pruning.

Is this also true of bonsai plants? Is there a difference from indoor vs. outdoor?

Bonsai are simply potted plants, there is not really any difference between the same species in the pot or in the ground. Of course some considerations must be made. For instance, a potted tree is usually considered to be less hardy by at least one zone. But this is a difference of degree, not of kind, a Maple is still a Maple. The grower must take more responsibility in watering and fertilizing but the nature of the tree is still the same. BTW there is no such thing as 'bonsai seed' Bonsai are not as exotic as some imagine.

Temperate species are not commonly kept inside at all. Tropicals, such as Jades, Ficus or Schefflera can be kept inside but really do much better outside when the weather permits, at least in my area they do. Some who live in harsher climes have found that it is best to just leave them inside all year. I get about 6 months outside each year.

I'm not sure I answered your questions adequately. I'll be glad to clarify if necessary.

Norm

[cynthia_h]

I think it's the "one zone difference" idea that makes the individual selection of the bonsai plants clearer, as well as the decision of whether (and when) to bring them indoors.

So here's the language question:

Are the plants "bonsai'd"? Are they "bonsai [potted] plants"? Or are they just bonsai, and "plants" is understood?

Surely there is a correct protocol to use in referring to these small art forms.

Arigato gozaimasu.

Cynthia

[Canoz]

Thank you for the quick reply, i was pritty shure it was dormant but the quickness in which the leaves turned brown startled me a bit.

im sorta teaching my self how to do things so its nice to get quick advise when i require it. =]

[Gnome]

Cynthia,

Are the plants "bonsai'd"?

No, that is a corruption of the term, plants are trained as bonsai.

Are they "bonsai [potted] plants"? Or are they just bonsai, and "plants" is understood?

Bonsai is literally a tray planting, from the Chinese P'en Tsai, so the term bonsai implies the use of plant material. Conversely, without the pot a tree is not a bonsai even if it is styled to resemble one. Bonsai has come to mean a potted tree or shrub even though by the literal definition it could also be a potted grass or other accent plant.

There are other forms which mimic landscapes, Saikei or simply an artistically displayed stone, often resembling a distant mountain, which is known as Suiseki.

In the west we have invented several terms, 'Potensai' or a tree with bonsai potential, sometimes referred to as pre-bonsai. Also there is 'Mallsai', a somewhat derisive term applied to mass produced plantings commonly seen in the big box stores.

Norm