AusBonsai

Now winter's here, I was wondering if it would be best to defoliate my chinese elms. They still have all their leaves.

Anyone got some advice for me?

Thanks again,

Scott

I would say no. If the tree is not going dormant then I would think that defoliating the tree may force it to sprout a new set and that would stress it too much for this time of year. But we will have to wait and see what others say as I have never thought about it before.

The variability of Chinese Elms always amazes me! I have 3, one has lost it's leaves completely, the second one's leaves have gone a scarlet red but stayed on the tree and the last one is still bright green! I've heard the same story from most people who own them but there are heaps of cultivars so it's hard to know what you might have?

To answer your question though, I agree with Brett that it's probably not the right time of year. Defoliating now will cause the tree to reshoot and with Melbourne's climate you risk cold damage to the new growth.

In Sydney Most of mine never lose their leaves at all, but this year one has already gone bare and is now shooting new growth madly now that we actually have some cold weather! Go figure!

I never worry about defoliating them here

Ken

I don't see any point in defoliation of a tree which naturally has small leaves.

Hmm I had plans to defoliate my Seiju elm this Summer

soltan wrote:Hmm I had plans to defoliate my Seiju elm this Summer

LOL
Do you have any tweezers? You would need em

kcpoole wrote:

soltan wrote:Hmm I had plans to defoliate my Seiju elm this Summer

LOL
Do you have any tweezers? You would need em

-or a small toothed comb.

i would wait till it's actively growing for awhile before doing any sort of defoliation...

i have one elm that went super yellow and now its naked, the other one seems to be willing to hold onto its green as leaves, seedlings from the same tree, go figure

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll leave them as normal.

I appreciate the feedback.

Cheers,

Scott

Chinese Elm are only semi deciduous by classification so it is not unusual for them to hold onto their leaves. As the tree gets older it will become, most likely, more deciduous.