Trunks thicken very quickly too. (In other words: it's a cork-barked variety). You get vertical fissures in the trunk in only a couple of years time. Also check out the leaf size: itsy-bitsy. Seiju is a sport of Hokkaido but, unlike Hokkaido, limbs are not brittle and can be wired normally. Did I mention that I am very enthusiastic about this variety?

I've worked with several varieties of Chinese elm and Seiju seems, by far, the best choice for bonsai, especially in shohin sizes.

Ron