#BonsaiNews: Zelkova, another perfect bonsai option for beginners

YOU might have thought that I had lost my marbles when I thought about suggesting the Japanese Zelkova as another perfect bonsai for those who want to start out but it's quite the contrary - Japanese Zelkovas are quite perfect.

So, you've not been sold on bonsai yet, but maybe after seeing just how spectacular this species of tree are, you might change your mind and consider buying one or some seed to start your own from scratch.

INTROUCING: THE JAPANESE ZELKOVA

600px-Japanese_Zelkova_bonsai_16,_October_10,_2008.jpg

(This Japanese Zelkova is 123-years-old and is housed at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum and was donated by Yoshibumi Itoigawa.)

Japanese Zelkovas, a deciduous tree when left to grow in the wild can reach heights of up to 98 ft tall however, and quite ironically, the total height is mainly achieved by branches themselves as the tree's trunk almost always remains short.

Now, before you rush off and buy some seed, I would rather advise you to go try and find one at a nursery and buy it instead of starting them from seed, despite the ease of germinating the seeds.

Lo and behold, they make for excellent bonsai since they are both durable and highly resistant to Dutch Elm Disease, as well as having a good resistance toward the Elm Leaf and Japanese beetle.

When searching for a site to plant this tree, ensure that you choose an area which provides full to partial sun and when potted, ensure the same as well as excellent drainage.

Interesting facts:

The Zelkova was first introduced to a country outside of Asia by German physicist, traveler and botanist, Philipp Franz von Siebold in 1830, who cultivated the tree in the Netherlands.
The Zelkova has been introduced to New York as a street tree.
The second largest known Zelkova measures in at 25 metres tall, with a trunk circumference of 12 metres - it is a thousand years old.

WHY I SAID RATHER BUY ONE:

Germinating seeds for a Japanese Zelkova are not difficult at all but, for bonsai beginners who are hoping to get off to a good running start with their first tree, should first learn how to look after one of the easiest trees there are to look after and this is the prime choice! Especially since germinating the seeds takes a lot longer!

THE PROCESS OF GERMINATION:

Now, to the best (I enjoy germinating seeds) part - these seeds are required to undergo stratification in order for them to successfully germinate!

Prepare a substrate into which the seeds will be mixed with a 50/50 mixture of compost and sharp sand.

Ensure that the mixture is moist although not so moist that when squeezed by hand, water drips out of it - if it drips and you place your seeds in the bag, they will not germinate.

Now, you may proceed to place the bag in the vegetable drawer compartment of your fridge, where they will be left for the next eight weeks.

It is not impossible for the seeds to start sprouting slightly during this period, so check back every week and also ensure that the level of moisture remains consistent.

Those that have not germinated may still be planted as they may germinate within the coming weeks - ensure that a good quality compost is used when planting the seeds.

Young seedlings should be kept out of direct sunlight for the first few weeks so, rather plant them in movable trays or pots and ensure that they are well watered.

Growth within the first year can be as great as 15cm in height.

Now, you have chosen to purchase a young tree from your local nursery and you would like to begin training it - if you have some experience in this field and are comfortable with wiring your plant, trimming branches etc then great you can proceed to apply various styles of your choice using the below style guide.

(IMAGE SOURCE: bonsaiempire.com Bonsai styles)

If you have never trained a tree, either consult an expert at your nursery if they have one or start reading up on all the material you can find - at the end of this article, I list a variety of #TeamBonsai members, Hive account@creativetruth and Hive account@ramonalsamuels are both great sources of knowledge when it comes to this and I would advise that you also check out their blogs for further guidance.