Zelkova serrata Goblin

The Zelkova serrata Goblin is a variety of small Siberian elm, which spontaneously forms a ball of foliage beautifully coloured in autumn on a short trunk. This deciduous shrub is recognised by its short and stocky trunk, covered with a beautiful mottled ocher bark, and topped with a proud, broad, rounded and dense crown, even without pruning. You can place it in isolation in a small garden or a large pot on the terrace. This variety is often grown as a bonsai.

Native to northern and eastern Asia (Japan, Korea, Taiwan), the Zelkova serrata belongs to the botanical family Ulmaceae. This majestic tree, with relatively slow growth, reaches a height of 18 to 20 m (59 to 66ft) and a width of approximately 13-15 m (43-49ft) in nature. It is a very cold-resistant species that prefers slightly acidic, well-drained soils and tolerates water shortage once established.

The Goblin cultivar is distinguished by its very reduced development at maturity, reaching about 1.20 m (4ft) in height and 90 cm (35in) to 1 m (3ft) in width. It develops a short and stocky trunk from which spread the main branches, giving rise to finer branches. They form the structure of its wide, regular, rounded and dense crown. The young branches are green and downy, becoming later glabrous and reddish-brown. The young bark of this tree is smooth, grey-brown and speckled with pink-red to orange. With age, it peels off in small plates, revealing a new and vibrant ochre-coloured 'skin'. The young spring shoots are purple. The deciduous leaves are more dissected than those of the elm: oblong to elliptical, 7 cm (3in) long, tapering to a point, adorned with very regular teeth, they are light green, rough on the upper surface and glossy on the underside. In autumn, they turn reddish-bronze and orange-yellow before falling. Discrete green flowering occurs simultaneously, or after leaf emergence, in April-May. The female flowers, green in colour, are separate from the male flowers, yellow in colour, but borne on the same plant. The latter will produce small kidney-shaped stone fruits, 0.3 cm (1in) in diameter, without wings, turning from green to brown when ripe.

The Zelkova serrata Goblin is suitable for small spaces. A small tree with an original design, it can be placed in isolation in a small garden or the centre of a bed, surrounded by perennials and low shrubs (heucheras, hostas, Japanese grass, for example). With its beautiful bark and autumn foliage, Zelkova makes a beautiful bonsai.