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Hello! I've recently received a nice bonsai as a gift. It was sold as a zelkova chinese elm. I've got no to little experience in growing bonsai and I really wish to treat this one nicely. I live in Italy where it can get pretty cold in winter, so I'm keeping the bonsai inside but I'm worried about light exposure. I've placed it close to a window who's south-west facing but there's not much light in this time of the year. Would it be okay for me to rotate the tree each 1-2 days for it to get sun exposure evenly or would the rotations cause too much distress to the plant?
Thanks in advance to everyone who's willing to help me!

The tree is almost certain a misslabled ulmus, not a zelkova.
I live in sweden which is proboably colder than your place and my Ulmus is outdoors all year, but protected in non heated greenhouse in winter. Last winter it was constant below minus 10 for 6 weeks in the greenhouse.

If your area is safe from heavy frost, put it outside now and never bring it inside leathal living room conditions again.

I turn my tree a few times per growing season. But never in winter when it is dormant.

I too believe it was labeled wrong, the leaf shape is definitely like ulmus. Here it's definitely less cold, so thank you, I will follow your advice!

the tree has not been acclimatized, not sure he likes it, since when have you been there!!!

Main question is, how cold does it get in winter / wil you get frost this winter.
If you have frosty conditions, do not put it outside. It needs a fall period to build frost-resistence.

Thank you. In my city it's not unusual to snow but this year we are having higher temperatures, as it seems. Right now it's not going below 0 celsius degrees (usually 3-4 degrees at night), so I guess it should be fine? I also asked where it was bought, and in the store they were keeping it inside (near the orchid area, which I assume was kind of warm) but it is not a bonsai store (more like a generic plant and pet store) so I guess the tree has not been there for a long time.

It should be fine indeed.

Hello Angy,

I live in downtown Milano (where it barely gets freezing cold for long periods) and I have 3 Ulmuses (2 are a "typical" mallsai, 1 is definitely better...): I keep them outside on my balcony all year round, since several years, and they thrive quite well.

So, given the high temperatures we are having now in northern Italy, I suggest you also move your trees out, if you can.

I normally turn my trees for better sun exposure every 15 days or so.

Ciao!