Pin Oak

[Lawsy]

Hey guys, I've got my hands on a tree that I believe is a pin oak, wondering if anyone can confirm this and give me a rough age based on a couple photos and any tips for looking after them, any help would be greatly appreciated, cheers

photo when tree was purchased

Photo after spring growth and a little trim

 

[Quince]

The sinuses on the leaves do not look deep enough for a pin oak. Maybe a bear oak. Nice find at any rate.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Location, location, location please add to profile. How big is trunk? Tend to agree Bear oak.

 

[Lawsy]

I'm in NSW Australia so north American natives are very foreign to me.


Close up of the trunk



Here's a few close up images of the leaves I forgot to ad

 

[penumbra]

It probably is a Pin Oak. The leaves can be quite variable. It is the most commonly propagated oak in the states with a few cultivars. The following images are of a certified Pin Oak, and even on this one small plant the leaves are variable.

 

[stu929]

Looks similar to a pin oak but I would have guessed no as I seem to remember hearing pin oak does not reduce well. Nice tree, I’d be proud to own it.

 

[penumbra]

Looks similar to a pin oak but I would have guessed no as I seem to remember hearing pin oak does not reduce well. Nice tree, I’d be proud to own it.

They don't reduce a lot in my experience, but they have reduced a little just by being pot bound. The leaves on the ops tree do not look very much reduced either. I'm sticking with Pin Oak.

 

[stu929]

They don't reduce a lot in my experience, but they have reduced a little just by being pot bound. The leaves on the ops tree do not look very much reduced either. I sticking with Pin Oak.

I know nothing to don’t take my word for it! It’s actually good news for me I have what I was told was two red oaks I planted in my back yard two years ago to fatten up but they are actually pin so maybe I will give them a shot after all. I was just about to dig them up and give them away. Use the holes for other trees that need homes.

 

[penumbra]

I know nothing to don’t take my word for it! It’s actually good news for me I have what I was told was two red oaks I planted in my back yard two years ago to fatten up but they are actually pin so maybe I will give them a shot after all. I was just about to dig them up and give them away. Use the holes for other trees that need homes.

Red oak is quite different in leaf shape but Scarlet oak is similar to Pin oak. Both are somewhat endangered due to Oak Wilt Disease. I probably have half a dozen that died this year. It is also tough on Black oak. My White and Chestnut oaks are unaffected.
I see you are in PA. If you look around you will find a lot of dead Red oaks in your area. Young trees seem unaffected but the older trees are seriously in decline.

 

[stu929]

Red oak is quite different in leaf shape but Scarlet oak is similar to Pin oak. Both are somewhat endangered due to Oak Wilt Disease. I probably have half a dozen that died this year. It is also tough on Black oak. My White and Chestnut oaks are unaffected.

I have a local nursery that sells me damaged trees for very cheap or sometimes even gives them away so I take whatever they have in the hope one day I can develop it into bonsai.

 

[stu929]

Red oak is quite different in leaf shape but Scarlet oak is similar to Pin oak. Both are somewhat endangered due to Oak Wilt Disease. I probably have half a dozen that died this year. It is also tough on Black oak. My White and Chestnut oaks are unaffected.
I see you are in PA. If you look around you will find a lot of dead Red oaks in your area. Young trees seem unaffected but the older trees are seriously in decline.

They had given me an Appalachian service berry that had amazing nibari but it didn’t make it though this summer sadly. I also have a Ginko from them i that was free too. Sadly they don’t have a lot of the typical bonsai species but I don’t care I’m newer and have time.

 

[Lawsy]

Thanks heaps for the help guys, greatly appreciated. I'm stoked with the find as oak trees a very uncommon as bonsai in Australia

 

[penumbra]

I have a local nursery that sells me damaged trees for very cheap or sometimes even gives them away so I take whatever they have in the hope one day I can develop it into bonsai.

Our local nursery closed there doors a couple weeks ago after over 45 years of service. Now all we have is Lowes. Oh joy. I don't think big box stores should even be allowed to sell plants.

 

[Leprous Garden]

I'm also gonna say bear oak. The leaves are certainly not typical pin oak leaves. Pin oaks are so names because they have "spur twigs" that are like little pins. Bear oak wouldn't have these, at least not prominently. Also of course the acorns would help us.

 

[stu929]

Our local nursery closed there doors a couple weeks ago after over 45 years of service. Now all we have is Lowes. Oh joy. I don't think big box stores should even be allowed to sell plants.

Lowes certainly isn’t the best but keep your eyes open as they sometimes do get some nice deals. Think late season Japanese Maples.

 

[Lawsy]

I'm also gonna say bear oak. The leaves are certainly not typical pin oak leaves. Pin oaks are so names because they have "spur twigs" that are like little pins. Bear oak wouldn't have these, at least not prominently. Also of course the acorns would help us.

I will have to wait untill acorns form to use them to help identify the tree, thanks for that i completely forgot about acorns

 

[GGB]

I have never seen bear oak sold at a nursery in my life, even the native tree nursery I visit. I'd be very surprised if you had such a rare American native down there on kangaroo island. *Disclaimer, that common name may be used for a few species. That being said there are so many Oaks I wouldn't even try to guess. But if pin oak is the most commonly cultivated it's a good start. Those I have definitly seen for sale.

 

[penumbra]

It seems you all are pulling a Bear out of a hat. Like GGB said, you are highly unlikely to find a Bear oak and it is a common moniker for a few different oaks.

 

[Leprous Garden]

The leaf is very similar to bear oak, which is pretty distinctive. Seems like a good place to start.

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

I recently discovered "Texas oak" at the botanical garden that to me looked indistinguishable from pin oak. Id d
Still say this one is a pin oak. The big tree in my front yard is a pin oak, found a 6 foot tree in my backyard 2 years ago that was also a pin oak that has been living the last 2 seasons in a pot. Pin oaks are said to be good for larger bonsai and this tree in the OP's thread os indeed a larger bonsai. Beautiful tree btw.