Best way to fuse two trunks?

[Mr. Watanabe]

Hi Bonsai vets,
This is one of the trees (California shrub Oak) I got from Lone Pine Gardens in Sebastopol a couple of weekends ago. It is essentially two trees growing together. The two trunks are separate, but I want them to fuse together. What’s the best way of going about this? I was thinking maybe wrapping them together with either wire, raffia or plumbers teflon tape and letting time do its thing. Would applying growth hormone to area to be fused together before wrapping help?

 

[BrianBay9]

Some species of trees will fuse trunks easily, but in my experience, oaks do not.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Yeah. Probably won’t fuse, But if you keep them tightly wired, they can grow around each other to a degree.

 

[Shibui]

Avoid wire. Wrapping needs to be tight to assist fusion while the trunks thicken. Wire will just leave lots of nasty scars.
Raffia will leave similar marks on the bark.
Plumbers tape stretches too much so won't apply the pressure you need.
Duct tape/ Gaffer tape is wide enough and flat enough to leave less bark damage. Also strong enough to apply pressure on the trunks to assist with fusion. Keep an eye on the top and bottom of whatever wrap you choose as the trunks will be growing and thickening so will bulge out above and below the wrap. May need to be removed and re-wrapped if you notice bulges.

Not sure of the likelihood of oaks fusing. Should be possible but maybe not easy or quick.

 

[Mr. Watanabe]

Avoid wire. Wrapping needs to be tight to assist fusion while the trunks thicken. Wire will just leave lots of nasty scars.
Raffia will leave similar marks on the bark.
Plumbers tape stretches too much so won't apply the pressure you need.
Duct tape/ Gaffer tape is wide enough and flat enough to leave less bark damage. Also strong enough to apply pressure on the trunks to assist with fusion. Keep an eye on the top and bottom of whatever wrap you choose as the trunks will be growing and thickening so will bulge out above and below the wrap. May need to be removed and re-wrapped if you notice bulges.

Not sure of the likelihood of oaks fusing. Should be possible but maybe not easy or quick.

Thanks for the advice. As previously mentioned by other members, oaks do not easily fuse, but it won't hurt to give it a try.

 

[Mr. Watanabe]

Let’s see if this straight jacket will work!

 

[pandacular]

I wonder if instead these trees could be separated. In other words, it may be worth instead asking if you’re setting out to the solve the correct problem.

For fusion, you will want to aim to grow the tree as much as possible. More top growth and extension == more trunk caliper growth == more fusion.

 

[Mr. Watanabe]

Let’s see how it goes after a year!