Future twin trunk oak

[Big Country Bonsai]

I’m one of those that really wants to see more oak in bonsai and I hope to eventually have some nice ones myself. Here are a few shots of an oak that I recently collected. It was a real chore getting this guy out of the ground! During the process I broke my mattock axe handle by hitting it on a large root. Made for slow going while finishing the job. We’re still having a very mild fall/winter here so I haven’t had to provide any freeze protection yet but I’ll likely place it in a free standing garage once temps get below freezing. I may possibly show the smaller of the two trunks eventually but not sure at the moment. This is a Quercus buckleyi for anyone wondering.

 

[penumbra]

Curious, how tall was it when you found it?

 

[Big Country Bonsai]

mid dig photos

 

[Big Country Bonsai]

Curious, how tall was it when you found it?

I believe about 5 feet or so. It was a spreading tree more than a tall one.

 

[penumbra]

Looks like it was a bunch of work. You should have had your dog help you. Please keep us updated on this. Its a beauty.

 

[Big Country Bonsai]

Looks like it was a bunch of work. You should have had your dog help you. Please keep us updated on this. Its a beauty.

Thanks! I think it is pretty awesome as well! I’ll update you with any progress. I’ve tried estimating age based on rings of one of the branches but I can’t really delineate them all.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Absolutely spectacular stock. Any idiot could make it a champion and I stand ready to prevent you from making a fool of yourself by taking it off your hands.

 

[Big Country Bonsai]

Absolutely spectacular stock. Any idiot could make it a champion and I stand ready to prevent you from making a fool of yourself by taking it off your hands.

The tree says thank you! If I’m ever hard up for cash and the tree is doing good I’ll keep you in mind lol! I hope to do it justice eventually!

 

[John P.]

Really nice one.

 

[leatherback]

I’ve tried estimating age based on rings of one of the branches but I can’t really delineate them all.

Best guess is 23, but 20-25 range from what I can tell from these pics as far as my eyes allow me to see a pattern

 

[Big Country Bonsai]

Best guess is 23, but 20-25 range from what I can tell from these pics as far as my eyes allow me to see a pattern

That’s what I was thinking! Sometimes I wonder how they come up with those estimations of a tree being 200+ years old when this one is most likely under 30 and has nice character and size. I understand there’s a difference in conifers and deciduous as far as aging but in not sure I buy all the estimations off trees being super old.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

That’s what I was thinking! Sometimes I wonder how they come up with those estimations of a tree being 200+ years old when this one is most likely under 30 and has nice character and size. I understand there’s a difference in conifers and deciduous as far as aging but in not sure I buy all the estimations off trees being super old.

I suspect that the part you've removed isn't as old as the rootbase. In very harsh conditions, things a few feet above the soil could differ 10+ years from the soil level. I have 3-year old seedlings that wouldn't show a single ring if I'd cut them. Just due to bad care from my end.
I think someone on this forum had a small spruce or fir like that. He made pictures under a microscope and I remember counting them (39+ rings if memory serves me right) and telling myself: dang, I have a 5 year old spruce twice the size of that!

 

[Forsoothe!]

If you have a scanner and a photo program, you can sand smooth the piece, paint it with clear fingernail polish, scan it as a .jpg file and expand it enough to read it like a book!

 

[leatherback]

Sometimes I wonder how they come up with those estimations of a tree being 200+ years old

Yours grew up under good circumstances.

 

[Big Country Bonsai]

If you have a scanner and a photo program, you can sand smooth the piece, paint it with clear fingernail polish, scan it as a .jpg file and expand it enough to read it like a book!

Ill have to give that a try! I sanded it down but didn't know the trick with the fingernail polish.

 

[Big Country Bonsai]

I suspect that the part you've removed isn't as old as the rootbase. In very harsh conditions, things a few feet above the soil could differ 10+ years from the soil level. I have 3-year old seedlings that wouldn't show a single ring if I'd cut them. Just due to bad care from my end.
I think someone on this forum had a small spruce or fir like that. He made pictures under a microscope and I remember counting them (39+ rings if memory serves me right) and telling myself: dang, I have a 5 year old spruce twice the size of that!

That makes sense. I like the idea of having an old tree just based on the fact that its old but i wonder after 'x' years if there's really much of a difference in aesthetics or appearance of age.

 

[leatherback]

i wonder after 'x' years if there's really much of a difference in aesthetics or appearance of age.

Yes there is.

Point is.. It is not just age. It is also the time taken to grow, the damaged occurred during its lifetime and the type of bark it developed.

 

[just.wing.it]

Certainly an interesting find.....I'm a-watchin'!

 

[rockm]

That’s what I was thinking! Sometimes I wonder how they come up with those estimations of a tree being 200+ years old when this one is most likely under 30 and has nice character and size. I understand there’s a difference in conifers and deciduous as far as aging but in not sure I buy all the estimations off trees being super old.

Your tree has multiple trunks. You've aged only one of those trunks. Since trees grow new extensions where they've been damaged, etc. using those extensions isn't an accurate measurement of age. To do that you would have to count the rings AT THE BASE of the trunk.. That would of course kill your tree mostly. It looks old, that's enough..

FWIW, this Texas collected live oak is about 300 years old. It's an accurate age, as the section I used to count rings came off the oldest part of the tree, the main root at its base--which is now a deadwood feature...If I counted rings on the top section, those would yield only 25 years or so, since I've regrown the apex in that time...

Also, why collect your tree now?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

You got the first 25 - 30 years out of the way. Should become quite nice in relatively few years.