this is my Chinese elm it doesn't get cold I'm inside it is near a radiator idk if that is the problem and it's becoming winter I'm at an east facing window
I'm circling where there are a lot of dead leaves dropped and the arrows pont to the bare parts that are losing leaves
by Odd-Virus-8775
5 Comments
A few things:
Chinese Elms need to live outside, and they need to experience Winter dormancy.
Above a radiator is not a good spot; the hot dry air will kill it.
The soil doesn’t look great. A repot next Spring into a good free-draining soil mix would be a good idea.
While Chinese elms do better outside, it may be too late for this one to go out. If your sub freezing temps don’t start until January, it may be fine to go out now.
Besides the other advice already given, if it must stay indoors this winter, maximize light. Place it right next to your brightest window.
We are in a similar zone. These are deciduous trees best grown outside. I have several Chinese elms, some have dropped all of their leaves already others are on the way. They stay outside 365. If you want an indoor bonsai, ficus or succulents do well.
Idk if it’s the resolution of the photo, or if it just won’t load correctly on my phone, but by the looks of things with my untrained eye, my first thought would be the heat from the radiator is drying out the soil too quickly. I’ve had a similar problem with my tropicals over winter where an air vent was pointing at the plants and drying them out too quickly.
Either move the plant, or start watering more often. Also, like the other comment said, elms should experience a period of dormancy to stay healthy. Even if the leaves drop when it’s outside, it’ll survive temperatures all the way down to 15f apparently (that’s what google tells me lol it doesn’t get that cold enough where I am to have to worry myself. Maybe 3-4 days a year, but yeah…)
Edit: just saw your flair and saw you’re from over the pond, so 15f is roughly -9C
Chinese elms will always do better outside. They are marketed as an indoor tree, and “technically” they are one of the few species like this that *can* survive indoors with the right conditions, but they will always do better outside especially for a beginner without a proper setup. If you truly want a tree that does decent indoors look and a true tropical like a ficus, scheflarra, carmona, etc.
If youre gonna keep it indoors, it will want more light and better soil, although I wouldnt repot now. I cant really tell from the photo but make sure that dish underneath isnt leaving it sitting in water. I dont think the radiator is helping either.