Zelkova – Japanese Elm 57cm

Japanese Elm 57cm Description

The Japanese Elm Bonsai (Ulmus davidiana var. japonica) is an indoor and outdoor bonsai. 

This particular tree stands approximately 57 cm tall and is elegantly presented in a blue ceramic bonsai pot measuring 16 cm in depth and 10 cm in width. Its compact size and graceful shape make it perfect for desks, windowsills, or shelves, adding a calming, natural aesthetic to any space.

Japanese Elm 57cm Placement

Indoors

Place your Chinese Elm on a bright windowsill in a cool room, away from direct heat sources. While it can live indoors year-round, moving it outside during warm summer months can promote stronger growth and overall health. Chinese Elms grown indoors year-round gradually adapt to their environment and may retain their foliage throughout the year. Over time, they adjust to the stable indoor conditions and often reduce their leaf-drop cycle in the winter.

Outdoors

Chinese Elms can be kept outdoors year-round and are hardy enough to tolerate light frosts. In colder climates or during severe frost, move the tree to a protected, frost-free area such as an unheated greenhouse, cold frame, or bring it indoors. If kept outdoors through winter, it may lose its leaves but will regrow them in spring.

Japanese Elm 57cm Watering and Feeding

Watering

No strict schedule—watering needs vary based on climate, soil, airflow, and pot size.
We recommend using the submersion method. Visit our blog page for full instructions.

Feeding

Indoors – Feed weekly or fortnightly from March to October with Chrysal Liquid Bonsai Feed (2 ml per litre of water). Add directly to the water during submersion.

Outdoors – Use Naruko Slow Release Fertiliser, either sprinkled on the soil or placed in a fertiliser baskets.

Japanese Elm Pruning and Wiring

Regular pruning keeps your bonsai healthy, compact, and aesthetically pleasing. During the growing season (March–September), trim back new shoots once they grow beyond 3–4 leaves, leaving the two closest leaves intact.

Wiring is best done during late autumn, when the tree’s growth naturally slows. Use wire that is approximately the same thickness as the branch. This helps gently shape and refine your bonsai’s structure over time.

Find our Pruning and Wiring services here.

Japanese Elm Repotting

Repot in early spring with a well-draining bonsai soil mix.

Find our repotting services here.

For more information about Japanese Elm please visit our blogs page.

Please Note: Measurements given are approximate. Depending on the season, the appearance of the tree may vary. The tree that you receive may differ in size and shape to the photo if it has grown or been pruned since.