AusBonsai

Afternoon forumers-the streets of my suburb are lined with elms that have prolific amounts of seed on them. Just curious as when the best time to collect them is? I am in south western Sydney.
Any help/tips appreciated.

Honestly, just about all Elms and their relatives (Zelkova and Celtis) grow so easily and well from cuttings, I'd be inclined to find a parent tree with the characteristics you desire and take a heap of pencil thick cuttings in July-August. You should have roots on the majority by November-December without too much fuss.

Cheers,
Mojo

Thanks mojo advice appreciated.

I agree with Mojo but if you are determined to grow some seed it should be ripe when it starts to fall off the trees.

I have not seen English elm seed germinate but I suppose it must be able to?? The small plants around an adult English elm are usually suckers growing from the roots.
Chinese elms grow easily from seed. i regularly collect seedlings from the garden beds near an adult Chinese elm - maybe have a look around and see if any have grown from last year.

I collected some English Elm seed from Floriade last year and have had about 30 come up from a take away coffee cup full of seed. So it is true that there is hardly any viable seed.

I have had quite a few from the trees around here.
I am surprised I do not get thousands popping up the garden from them all

You can take them now up until they drop and sow in late winter

Ken

I have had the best success with these seeds when I wait until there are quite a few on the ground, and then I take a few branches and strip all of the seeds still on the branch. So maybe in another 2-3 months or so.

They are at their most edible at that time, too, but I tried one once and it did nothing for my palate.

Thanks ken and Michael. I knew they were edible-not sure I had ever planned on trying them though!

I have had some success growing Chinese Elms from seed I collected off the ground.

I don't think my germination rate was very good, but its easy to collect a few hundred seeds. So if only 10% germinate you still have lots of trees.

Cuttings offer instant gratification, but I think growing from seed is more fun.....if you are prepared to wait.

Good luck.