Medium S-shaped Chinese Elm ~ Indoor Bonsai
Product Code: GELM8
£59.99 – £67.98Price range: £59.99 through £67.98
A stunning 12-year-old Chinese Elm Beginners Bonsai with an elegant medium S-shaped trunk and lush green foliage. This beautifully styled indoor tree is one of our top recommendations for beginners thanks to its forgiving nature and classic woodland charm. Presented in a blue ceramic pot with optional drip tray, it makes a meaningful gift symbolising strength, wisdom, intuition, and love. Expertly grown and delivered with full care guidance. FREE fast delivery available on the date you choose.
FREE Next Working Day Delivery to most UK addresses — order by 3:25pm (Mon–Fri)
FREE Nominated-Day Delivery to most UK addresses on orders over £29.99
Trusted, Sustainable Growers — every bonsai is nurtured with love on our Devon nursery by bonsai experts
FREE Gift Message available on all orders
Not Home? No Problem — Our couriers can leave your order in a safe place and will notify you of your delivery slot
Secure, Bespoke Packaging – safe, tracked delivery
- 1x Twisty Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) Indoor Bonsai Tree - 12 years old
- 1x Drip Tray Options for Medium Pots
Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) – Exquisite 12-Year-Old S-Shaped Indoor Bonsai | A Top Chinese Elm Beginners Bonsai
A Beautiful Mature Indoor Bonsai with Classic Twisty Structure
Discover the elegance and charm of this 12-year-old Chinese Elm Beginners Bonsai. A stunning indoor tree admired for its graceful medium S-shaped trunk and refined woodland styling. With lush green leaves, excellent branch structure, and an artistic twisty flow, this bonsai brings calm, natural beauty to any interior space. It has earned its place among our top 10 indoor choices. Thus, making it one of the most reliable and rewarding bonsai for newcomers.
Expertly grown and hand-styled by our family-run nursery in Devon, this Ulmus parvifolia embodies years of careful shaping and nurturing. Its harmonious proportions, miniature leaf size, and elegant movement give it the appearance of a mature forest tree in miniature form. Presented in a mid-blue glazed ceramic pot, it makes a wonderful gift for birthdays, celebrations, new beginnings, or as a personal treat.
Please note: This is a generic photograph; your Chinese Elm will be very similar but naturally unique in shape and character.
A Chinese Elm Beginners Bonsai – Ideal for First-Time Growers
The Chinese Elm Beginners Bonsai is widely recognised as one of the best species for learning the art of indoor bonsai. It adapts well to household conditions, grows steadily, and offers clear visual cues for watering and pruning. This makes it ideal for complete beginners while still being deeply enjoyable for enthusiasts.
This species symbolises inner strength, intuition, wisdom, and love — meaningful qualities that make it a thoughtful and sentimental gift.
Beautifully Presented & Easy to Personalise
Your bonsai arrives potted into a stylish blue ceramic pot, with the option to add a matching drip tray for humidity and surface protection. You can elevate your gift with wrapping, personalised tags, and a free gift message. Every tree includes expert care instructions to help beginners feel confident from day one.
Simple Indoor Care
Position: Indoors in bright daylight; avoid direct heat during mid summer
Watering: Keep soil damp to the touch; never dry or waterlogged
Feeding: Apply bonsai fertiliser weekly to encourage new growth and vigour
Misting: Mist occasionally to support humidity
Pruning: Trim regularly to maintain shape and encourage finer branching
Repotting: Every 2–3 years in early spring
Why Buy Your Chinese Elm Beginners Bonsai from Bonsai Direct?
Bonsai Direct is the UK’s trusted, professional online bonsai retailer. Our expert growers nurture every Chinese Elm with care, using sustainable methods and decades of horticultural skill. We offer excellent customer service, detailed care guides, reliable packaging, and fast delivery that customers consistently rate as outstanding.
Delivery Options
Enjoy free next working day delivery to most UK addresses when ordered before 3:25pm, or choose a preferred delivery date at checkout.
This 12-year-old Chinese Elm Beginners Bonsai is a beautiful, meaningful, and long-lasting choice — a living piece of art that brings peace, elegance, and natural charm to your indoor sanctuary.
| Species | The Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) makes a truly beautiful bonsai with small bright green leaves. The tree has excellent twig structure and has great character throughout, making it the perfect representation of a woodland tree. In our opinion the Chinese Elm is the most perfectly proportioned, easy to care for and adaptable tree and makes a superb bonsai; which can be grown either indoors or outdoors. |
| Evergreen | Yes |
| Flowering/Fruiting | No |
| Age (years) | 12 |
| Height (cm) | 34 |
| Pot Size (cm) | 18 x 13 |
| Pot Colour | Blue |
| Indoor/Outdoor | Either - Protect from hard frosts |
| Difficulty | Easy - Perfect for Beginners |
| Maintenance | Positioning: Place in bright position avoiding direct sunlight in mid summer
Watering: Keep soil evenly damp; check daily. Feeding: Apply bonsai fertiliser weekly following the instructions on the bottle. Pruning: Trim new shoots regularly to keep shape and encourage ramification . Repotting: Repot every two years in early spring using free-draining bonsai soil. Note: Can live outside during summer months but protect from frost. |
| Pet Friendly | Yes |
The Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) makes a truly beautiful bonsai with small bright green leaves. The tree has excellent twig structure and has great character throughout, making it the perfect representation of a woodland tree. In our opinion the Chinese Elm is the most perfectly proportioned, easy to care for and adaptable tree and makes a superb bonsai; which can be grown either indoors or outdoors.
Choose your date
| Service | When will it arrive? | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Delivery (England, Wales & Southern Scotland) | Next working day (order before 3:25pm) or your chosen date | FREE |
| Premium AM (Weekdays before 1pm) | Next working day (order before 3:25pm) or your chosen date | £8.99 |
| Weekend Delivery | Chosen Saturday or Sunday | £8.99 |
| Highlands & Islands AB37–38, AB54–56, FK17–21, GY, HS, IV1–63, JE, KA27–28, KW1–17, PA20–49, PA60–78, PH19–26, PH30–40, PH42–44, PH49–50, TR21–25, ZE | Two working days (order before 3:25pm) or your chosen date | £7.99 |
| Northern Ireland | Two working days (order before 3:25pm) or your chosen date | £7.99 |
📘 Printed care guide included with all orders.
🚚 All bonsai tree orders can be tracked and our couriers will notify you of your delivery slot.
Beginner-friendly
| Care | What to do | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Read your printed Care Instruction Guide included with every bonsai tree before you begin. | Upon arrival |
| On arrival | In hot weather, stand pot in water for 5 minutes, then drain. | Once on day 1 |
| Position | Indoor Bonsai – Bright daylight, avoid harsh midday sun & cold draughts. Outdoor Bonsai – bright to semi-shaded, sheltered position. | All year |
| Water | Check soil daily; keep damp to the touch (not soggy). In hot spells, soak the pot briefly. | Daily check |
| Mist | Lightly mist foliage to boost humidity and condition leaves. | Once or twice a week |
| Feed | Use bonsai fertiliser, diluted as directed. Follow the directions on the bottle. | Species dependant |
| Prune | Trim longer shoots to maintain shape and encourage new growth. | As needed |
| Health | If needed, use an invigorator/insecticide and follow the label instructions. | If issues arise |
🎥 Extra help & videos are available on our website.
✅ Every bonsai is checked, watered & securely packaged before dispatch.
Expert Overview by Lloyd Noall
- Ease of Care
- Rated 5 out of 5
- Styling & Aesthetic Appeal
- Rated 5 out of 5
- Beginner Friendliness
- Rated 5 out of 5
- Health & Vigour of Tree
- Rated 5 out of 5
- Value for Money
- Rated 5 out of 5
Expert Opinion from Lloyd Noall, Bonsai Direct
“After almost four decades of growing and styling bonsai, the Chinese Elm remains one of the most quietly impressive indoor species I work with. This 12-year-old specimen is a fine example of why the Elm has earned its reputation as the ideal beginners bonsai. The trunk movement is mature, confident and naturally balanced — the kind of flow that only develops through years of careful shaping rather than quick, impulsive wiring.
What I particularly enjoy about this tree is its character. You can see hints of its woodland ancestry in the taper, in the way the branches reach into space, and in the fine ramification that forms when it’s given regular, thoughtful pruning. The miniature leaves respond beautifully to styling, and the tree’s ability to adapt to life indoors makes it both forgiving and incredibly rewarding for newcomers.
If I were choosing an indoor bonsai to introduce someone to the hobby — something with real presence but not so fragile that it becomes daunting — this would be it. It has stability, charm, and enough personality to keep its owner engaged for years. Treat it with consistency and patience, and it will only improve with age. That’s the beauty of the Chinese Elm — it grows with you.”
— Lloyd Noall, Master Grower, Bonsai Direct
Lloyd has decades of experience in the art of bonsai and is the founder of Bonsai Direct. He started selling bonsai trees commercially in 1995, nearly 30 years ago.
View Expert BioAll prices are inclusive of VAT at standard rate.
