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Bonsai Zelkova (Pot Size 12cm) Japanese Elm

Bonsai Zelkova (Pot Size 12cm) Japanese Elm

Price
Price
£
19
.
99

Shipping cost

Enter your full postcode to check delivery to your area.

Quick Guide 

  • Classic bonsai with refined, elegant branching

  • Serrated leaves turn golden in autumn

  • Thrives best outdoors in bright light

  • Responds well to shaping and pruning

  • Hardy, resilient, and beginner-friendly

The Zelkova serrata, commonly known as the Japanese Elm, is a refined and gracefully structured bonsai, valued for its fine ramification, small serrated leaves, and classic bonsai silhouette. Known for its strength, adaptability, and elegant tree-like appearance even at a small size, it is one of the most traditional species used in Japanese bonsai cultivation.

The Zelkova’s foliage is delicate yet hardy, emerging fresh green in spring, deepening through summer, and turning warm shades of yellow and gold in autumn before shedding its leaves. This seasonal display makes it a perfect choice for anyone who enjoys watching the rhythms of nature in miniature form.

Although some growers keep Japanese Elm bonsai indoors, the species is primarily an outdoor bonsai. It is happiest on a bright patio, balcony, or sheltered garden spot where it can enjoy natural daylight, airflow, and cooler seasonal temperatures. Indoors, it requires a very bright window, ideally south- or west-facing, with good ventilation.

The Zelkova is highly responsive to trimming, making it easy to refine its shape and encourage dense branching. In time, the trunk matures with attractive grey bark and subtle texture. It grows at a moderate pace and can reach 25–45 cm depending on pruning style.

This bonsai pairs beautifully with other outdoor-friendly varieties such as Chinese Elm, Juniper, and Cotoneaster, and works well on a bench display or balcony arrangement.

Bonsai Care Guide 

Place your Japanese Elm bonsai outdoors in bright light or indoors in the brightest possible location. Keep the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged. Allow the top layer to dry slightly between waterings. Provide occasional misting in hot weather to support leaf health.

Feed every two weeks during spring and summer with a balanced bonsai fertiliser, and monthly in autumn. Reduce feeding in winter.

Prune regularly to maintain shape and encourage fine ramification. Check for pests such as aphids and spider mites, especially indoors. Protect from strong winds and severe winter frost by placing it in a sheltered spot. Repot every 2–3 years in a free-draining bonsai substrate.

  • EAN code
    044562
  • Ultimate Height
    35-40cm
  • Ultimate Spread
    25-35cm
  • Flower Colour
    Inconspicuous
  • Foliage Colour
    Dark Green
  • Care Guide
    Moderate
  • Growth Rate
    Moderate
  • Pet Friendly
    No
  • Child Friendly
    No
  • Foliage Type
    Deciduous
  • Light Conditions
    Bright Light
  • Humidity
    Moderate 40-60%
  • Soil Type
    Free draining houseplant compost, Bonsai Focus Mix
  • Soil PH
    Neutral

Delivery Areas

We deliver within the M25 area of London. For deliveries of Pots & Planters outside this zone, we may be able to help on a case-by-case basis — please contact our sales team at [email protected]. You are also welcome to visit our garden centre in Kentish Town, where our team will be happy to help in person.

Delivery Costs & Delivery Day

Delivery charges are based on postcode zone within the M25. Enter your postcode at the top of this page to see your zone and cost, or check at checkout. You can also select your preferred delivery day at checkout.

Delivery Timeframes

We aim to deliver orders within 2–4 working days. During peak seasons, such as Christmas, delivery times may vary slightly due to increased demand. We will keep you informed at every stage.

Third-Party Couriers

For London postcodes outside a 5-mile radius of our Kentish Town garden centre, we may occasionally use a third-party courier for delivery. In these cases, we try our best to still deliver the items in the requested delivery time slot but please be aware that occasionally this may not always be possible and is out of our control.

Delivery Discrepancies

Please check your order as soon as it arrives. If there is any discrepancy — such as a missing, incorrect, or damaged item — please contact us within 48 hours of delivery so we can put things right. After this time, we will assume the order was received complete and in good condition. We are unable to take responsibility for damage that has occurred after this period.

Click & Collect

We encourage you to collect from our garden centre in Kentish Town — it saves on delivery costs and gives you the chance to see our full range of plants and products in person.

All Click & Collect orders must be collected within 7 days of being ready, unless a later date has been arranged with us in advance. If an order is not collected within this time, it will be cancelled and a refund issued.

Returns Policy

If you need to return an item, please contact us within 14 days of receipt to arrange a return or exchange. Products must be in their original condition and packaging. Plants may be non-refundable unless they arrive damaged or defective.

Items bought in-store or collected can be returned directly at the garden centre. If you would like us to collect a return and it is in good condition (e.g. you have changed your mind), it must be in its original condition, and the same delivery cost will apply for the return.

Plants marked as reduced for end-of-season clearance are non-refundable, as they are sold specifically to clear stock. This does not apply to special offers or multibuy promotions, which are eligible for returns as per our standard terms.

Questions about delivery or returns? Email [email protected] or call +44 (0) 20 7284 4999.

Located in Kentish Town, London, Boma garden centre is proud of its vision to transform the city into an urban paradise. The garden centre has created a plant lover's paradise, a place where you can relax, unwind and de-stress among the foliage and flowers. The Webshop makes it easier to order online if you can't get to the garden centre, with nationwide delivery. But we encourage plant lovers to pop in for a visit and chat with the team. 

 

 

Creating an urban paradise

Our dream is to transform urban living into a plant lovers' paradise. Making our neighbourhoods a wonderful place is good for our wellbeing and more friendly to the environment. A shared vision that gets us out of bed in the morning.

We've curated a botanical sanctuary

Our team of horticulturists planned our garden centre to show plants in their natural habitat, with inspirational displays. Looking for plants is like taking a walk in a botanical sanctuary.
And for those that consider our canine friends an essential part of life, bring your best mate along. Hopefully, they'll get along with our house cat Blue Bell.

It so happens we stock some fabulous plants

Our garden centre specialises in rare specimen plants beyond the common garden varieties. We also stock everything you need to cultivate your dream garden, home and office, with the largest range of plants, pots and containers in North London. Apparently, visitors consider us  The gardener's garden centre.

 

Buy Bonsai Zelkova (Pot Size 12cm) Japanese Elm at The Boma Garden Centre in Kentish Town, London. Visit our garden centre in London and check our wide range of plants & gardening products. We also offer many other  products in our webshop. We look forward to seeing you soon!