{"product_id":"japanese-elm-zelkova-serrata","title":"Japanese Elm - Zelkova serrata","description":"\u003cp\u003eJapanese Elm in its plain species form makes a broader, more open crown than its named selections. Its many upswept limbs fan out from a short trunk into a wide vase, so an established tree gives a generous dome of summer shade over a lawn, driveway or outdoor living area, then drops its leaves in autumn to let winter sun through. It belongs to the elm family and carries similar neat, toothed leaves, but it does not sucker from the roots the way English elm does, which matters in a suburban garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExpect some individuality. Unnamed Zelkova serrata is usually raised from seed, so trees vary a little in how upright they grow and how they colour. Autumn might bring clear yellow on one tree and orange, rust or coppery red on the next. On older trunks the grey bark peels away in small plates and leaves a mottled orange brown patchwork, easiest to see in winter once the leaves are down. If you need a row of identical trees, a named selection will give a more even result.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eA lawn tree that needs width\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eIts canopy eventually spreads about as wide as the tree is tall, so plant it where it has room in every direction: the middle of a large lawn, a wide nature strip, a rural entrance or the far side of a big backyard. As with any large tree, keep it well clear of house footings, sewer lines and paving you care about. It wants full sun, takes heat, wind, frost and city air, and once established it handles dry summers better than many deciduous trees, though a deep soak weekly to fortnightly over the first few summers builds a much fuller crown.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is happiest across the southern and eastern states, from Adelaide through Melbourne and Canberra to Sydney and the tablelands, where cool autumns produce the strongest colour. It will grow in south east Queensland, but autumn colour there is weaker and patchier. Deep, well drained loam suits it, and it tolerates clay provided water does not lie around the roots for long.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eNarrow forks and leaf beetle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe habit that makes the species beautiful is also its weak point. Young trees tend to throw several upright stems from close to the same spot, and those tight forks can trap bark between them, which weakens the union and lets a limb split away decades later in a storm. Formative pruning fixes this cheaply. Over the first five or so winters, choose a framework of well spaced main limbs leaving the trunk at wider angles, and remove or shorten competing leaders while they are still between pencil and broom handle thickness. Whichever tree you choose from our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/elms\"\u003eElm Trees\u003c\/a\u003e collection, check the forks at planting time, and hire an arborist rather than a hedge trimmer when the mature canopy needs work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere elm leaf beetle is established, as it is in Victoria, the ACT and parts of southern New South Wales, it feeds on zelkova less heavily than on true elms, but the tree is not immune. Look over the foliage in early summer for leaves skeletonised to lace, and treat early if the damage spreads. The small leaves break down quickly once they fall, so the autumn rake up is lighter than under a plane tree or an oak. Mulch the root zone each spring, keeping it off the trunk, and give young trees a general fertiliser as growth starts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eChoosing among the zelkovas\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere width is the problem, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/zelkova-serrata-musashino\"\u003eZelkova serrata Musashino\u003c\/a\u003e forms a narrow upright column that fits a tight verge or a strip beside a driveway. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/zelkova-serrata-green-vase\"\u003eZelkova serrata Green Vase\u003c\/a\u003e keeps the vase outline but is more uniform and lifts its canopy higher, which suits a street avenue. The species is the choice when you want the widest, most relaxed crown and have the space to let it spread. Larger sizes need more care in the ground than small ones, and our guide to \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/news\/planting-and-establishing-advanced-trees\"\u003eplanting an advanced tree\u003c\/a\u003e covers the hole, the staking and that critical first summer of watering.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3 class=\"pd-size-guidance\"\u003eChoosing a size\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis plant is available in 8 sizes, from 300mm up to 400L, priced from $129.00 to $3919.00 per plant. The size shown is the pot the plant arrives in, which is the rootball, not the height of the plant. Every size here is established stock rather than a starter plant, so this line is intended for immediate effect rather than for growing on. Not sure which to choose? Read our guide to \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/news\/best-trees-for-small-backyards-australia\"\u003echoosing a tree for a small backyard\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Plant Drop","offers":[{"title":"300mm","offer_id":67671100326257,"sku":null,"price":129.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"400mm","offer_id":67671100359025,"sku":null,"price":299.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"75L","offer_id":67671100391793,"sku":null,"price":569.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100L","offer_id":67671100424561,"sku":null,"price":699.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"150L","offer_id":67671100457329,"sku":null,"price":949.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200L","offer_id":67671100490097,"sku":null,"price":1539.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"300L","offer_id":67671100522865,"sku":null,"price":1669.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"400L","offer_id":67671100555633,"sku":null,"price":3919.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1017\/1049\/6113\/files\/japanese-elm-zelkova-serrata.jpg?v=1791518844","url":"https:\/\/plantdrop.com.au\/products\/japanese-elm-zelkova-serrata","provider":"Plant Drop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}