On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 15:29:55 +0000 (UTC), Synaptic Flow wrote:

Thanks for all your answers, I will investigate further, I did think as an
elm it maybe deciduous, so maybe that's it, thing is I was given it for
christmas last year & it did have leaves all year round.

To quote the Hillier Manual, 4th ed.:

Ulmus parvifolia Jacq. (chinensis) (sieboldii). "Chinese elm".
...with small, rich green leaves that persist halfway through the
winter... N. & C. China; Korea; Formosa; Japan.


While Taiwan might be considered sub-tropical in parts, the other
areas in which this species is native have generally cold
winters. I suggest you stop treating your bonsai as a houseplant
and grow it outdoors henceforth. It's probably too late for this
year to bung it straight outside, but if you can transfer it to
cooler conditions in the house, you'll be doing it a favor. Put
it outside on mild days; air movement is an important part of
hardening off plants, and the air in houses is way too stagnant.

If you want houseplants, grow African violets.

But I do admire the fact that your elm is still alive after a
years! You must be doing a lot of things right!

--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
change "invalid" to "net" to respond