AusBonsai

Hi there
I have a small Chinese elm (abt 6 years old) which has sent out aerial roots from the trunk. Is this normal? It hasn’t done much in recent years and I am now wondering if these aerial roots are depleting it. Can’t seem to find anything out about this with a wider search in the internet.
Hope someone can throw some light on this for me.
Thanks
Chris

Hi Chriss and welcome to AB
I have not seen any elms with aerial roots. Its usually ficus that have them.
A picture is always best way for people to help

I agree. Please give us a photo of the whole tree and a closer shot of the trunk with aerial roots.
I have also not heard of Chinese elms with aerial roots so I suspect that the tree is not a Chinese elm but the photo should help work that out.

Hi
I took this photo today. Should be able to zoom in on Roots, if no will take a closeup of trunk tomorrow.
Thanks for any advice you can offer.
Regards
Chris

I can't see a photo. Ausbonsai only allows photos of 1mb or less so you may need to resize before uploading.

Sorry photo too big to upload. Will redo tomorrow with a zoom in of roots. It is only a very small tree but two roots hang all way down trunk. Noticed today that more are forming. Sold as Chinese elm but perhaps not??. Looks like elm leaves though. Will repost tomorrow.
Thanks chris

Have cropped photo showing aerial roots of chinese elm. Hopefully small enough to upload.
Chris

No need to worry about those roots depleting the tree which is an elm as you said.
They are just high trunk roots possibly left by previous owner to add a little interest to a strait trunk
If you like the look leave them on, if not its safe to cut them off now.
Judging from the foliage you trimmed it was growing well so should have plenty of good roots below soil

I have something very similar, but more advanced on what I have been told was a Chinese Elm, I shall upload a photo when I get home from work this afternoon.

was probably planted that deep in the past

Thanks everyone for replying to my post. I’m inclined to agree with robb63’s comments that they were left by previous owner to enhance a straight trunk (no taper). Would also like to see artpunk’s example of aerial roots on his elm to give me an idea of how this little one will progress with roots left on.
Thanks
Chris

Is it possible that it's a root cutting and those were there when planted?

My thoughts exactly mel. I would say it’s a roof cutting too. Especially the way all the shoots seem to originate from the one point.

Hi Chris
Thanks for the interesting post. I’m pretty green, but my limited experience told me aerials on your elm didn’t make a lot of sense. I have to throw my vote in, that Mel and Dansai are bang on the money here - definitely looks like a root cutting. Not critical to know I suppose, but worth considering for understanding the current structure of your tree and optimal style/development options. Wouldn’t think the aerials would be depleting your tree. Not sure they will help much with taper either though, if that’s your main objective for leaving them on, but those with more experience would be better to comment on style and development - just opening that up if that’s where you want this thread to go.
Cheers
Dave

raccos wrote:Thanks everyone for replying to my post. I’m inclined to agree with robb63’s comments that they were left by previous owner to enhance a straight trunk (no taper). Would also like to see artpunk’s example of aerial roots on his elm to give me an idea of how this little one will progress with roots left on.
Thanks
Chris

I took this to my groups meeting tonight for a repotting tutorial and was told it may not be a Chinese Elm, but a Grey Elm (it's history is murky!)
Anyway here is an image showing what I thought/think are arial roots.