Hello! I have a Chinese Elm, I have had it for about a year. It lives inside, although it goes outside for winter so it does go dormant for a few months each year. So far it has been growing and looking fine aside from these leaf spots. The little spots start by looking reddish, then they turn brown, then they become holes.

I thought it might be caused by mites so I have been spraying it with a soap solution 1-2 times weekly for 2 months. I have purchased a magnifying glass and inspected the leaves but I cannot see any mites, so maybe that's not it.

There are also fibers on the branches that look like individual cat hairs, but they might be made by some kind of bug.

Can anyone tell me if it is normal for leaves to look like this? Does everyone's tree have spotty leaves? If not, does anyone know what kind of infestation would cause this? If anyone thinks its spider mites, do you think they are too small to see with a magnifying glass?

You are spraying far too much. That might be the cause. Leaves do die and are replaced with new ones. Strange idea to have it out in the winter only,

So are you saying that this looks like normal leaf death to you? These spots were happening for the entire time I owned the tree before i started spraying. The internet says to use an insecticidal soap spray once every 5-7 days which is what I am following.

Where are you located? Old leafs will be replaced in spring anyway, so I would not worry about that. However up here in cold Sweden the chinese elms is budding out like crasy right now. I dont see any new buds on your photos, that would be my main concern if it was my tree and it was up here.

Stop spraying the plant if you havent identified any pests.

Yes, I am in the northern hemisphere. The tree was dormant for only the months of December - January. It completely lost its leaves during that time. These leaves all started growing in the beginning of February. Even when the leaves were brand new I was seeing red spots.

Ahh, ok. Not that worrying then. I would look into fertilizer regime then. Looks like clorosis to me.

4Cats wrote:

Hello! I have a Chinese Elm, I have had it for about a year. It lives inside, although it goes outside for winter so it does go dormant for a few months each year.

To my knowlage you don't have had this tree longer then a year, and this winter it was indoors. So it was never outside for the winter dormancy what your are trying to imply.

This tree also already have a topic about the red spots / holes / mites and hairs.
www.bonsaiempire.com/forum/pests-and-dis...leaves-help?start=10

In that topic Leatherback adviced to check PH and nutrients gifts, as red spots/holes can be cause by nutrients deficency in extreme cases.

Hairs in picture look like cat hair and human hairs, just remove them.

Stop spraying soap, as 3/4months ago we already told you, that the tree have no spidermites.

If humans are year round indoors, we get also shortages in vitamines, get pail, hairloss, nail issues, depression etc, etc.. So please take care of your tree's.
First thing is, that if the weather allows it, to put it outside for the summer, so it can get it's vitamines and get it's health up. I am sure the new growth in spring and summer will be as healty has it should be.

My applogies if i was rude.

Maybe rude, but very well spotted. It is not easy to help when information given is wrong.