Japanese Elm Bonsai seed Zelkova serrata
LATIN NAME: Zelkova serrata
COMMON NAME: Japanese Zelkova, Keyaki, Saw-leaf Zelkova
The Japanese zelkova is a stately and long-lived tree of East Asia, and its graceful, vase-shaped crown has made it a treasure of parks and gardens. It grows as a large, deciduous tree, reaching up to thirty metres, with a smooth, grey bark that peels to show the orange under-bark, and a broad, rounded or vase-shaped crown of slender branches clothed in oval, sharply toothed leaves, which turn brilliant shades of orange and red in autumn. It is a native of Japan, Korea, eastern China and Taiwan, and it is grown as an ornamental tree, and it is one of the most prized of all trees for bonsai.
The Japanese zelkova belongs to the elm family, Ulmaceae, and it is native to Japan, Korea, eastern China and Taiwan. It is often grown as an ornamental tree, and it is used in bonsai, with two varieties, the typical one in Japan and mainland eastern Asia, and a variety in Taiwan.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The Japanese zelkova has a genuine and growing place in both horticultural and botanical research. It has been studied in horticulture, since it is one of the most valued of the ornamental trees of East Asia, prized for its graceful, vase-shaped crown, its smooth, peeling bark and its brilliant autumn colour, and it is widely grown in parks, along streets and in gardens, while it is also one of the most prized of all trees for bonsai, a tradition in which it has been shaped and studied for centuries. The tree has also been studied in botany, since it is a member of the elm family, and researchers have examined its classification and its relationships with the other zelkovas and with the elms, while its fine, durable wood has been of interest. The species has also been studied in forestry, since its wood is hard, fine-grained and durable, and it has been used for a range of work, including the making of fine furniture. For a tree of such grace and such value, the Japanese zelkova has a rich and growing record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, the Japanese zelkova is a generous tree of the East Asian garden. Its flowers feed insects, and its leafy crown gives shade and shelter, while its brilliant autumn colour brings life to the garden in the fall, and it is a valued member of the forests of its native range.
Its economic value is real and considerable. It is one of the most valued of the ornamental trees of East Asia, grown in parks, along streets and in gardens, and it is one of the most prized of all trees for bonsai, while its hard, fine-grained, durable wood is used for fine furniture, for carving and for other work, making it a tree of both beauty and use. For a grower, the Japanese zelkova is a valuable and rewarding tree, and for a gardener it brings a graceful, vase-shaped crown and brilliant autumn colour. The seeds are easy — sow them in a pot of moist, free-draining compost in spring, keep them lightly covered and gently watered, and they’ll sprout within a few weeks, growing on into a graceful little tree.
Zelkova serrata, commonly known as Japanese Elm is a genus of about 6 species of deciduous, semi-evergreen trees occurring in woodland, thickets and hedgerows in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Iran and Asia. Zelkova have alternate, ovate to elliptic toothed leaves. Most species display good autumn colour of yellows and orange-browns. This one can be bonsaied or used as a feature tree.
Japanese Elms are often sold as indoor bonsai and as such are acclimatised to indoor growing conditions. Those sold as outdoor bonsai and all other species of Zelkova should be cultivated outdoors. Those grown indoors (or in climates with very mild winters) will remain evergreen where as outdoor cultivation results in a deciduous tree. Ensure indoor trees do not become too cold in their first winter outside. Zelkovas should be able to cope with the adverse growing conditions indoors though they are never as vigorous as their outdoor counterparts.