It's Kev
Omono
Imported a couple of acorns to China from my Italy trip, I seriously hope they grow here because it’s completely impossible to find on this side of the planet.
Preferred Oaks
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Big Country Bonsai
Shohin
What species?
It's Kev
Omono
No idea, guessing one is a holm oak because it was in full leaf in January, the acorns were smaller and longish. Found in Verona.
The other is probably either English or Europeaan oak, tree had no leaves, it was late at night to get a good look at the bark. Those acorns were bigger and rounder in shape. Found in Milan
Can’t find the photo that I’m sure I took before planting them, but I have a lot of time to beg them to grow since we’re all in covid-19 isolation and there isn’t much else to do
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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Leo; Personally recommend doing in stages due to shortages of side roots. In stages gives these chance to develop more feeders between removals. Seems intuitive to me.
If you have any later roots at all, you will likely be successful removing tap root in one operation. No reason to prolong the process. We will just have to agree to disagree.
Big Country Bonsai
Shohin
Hope everything goes well for you and we get the virus under control soon! I initially misread and thought you had Chinese acorns shipped to you haha.
Arlithrien
Shohin
It's Kev
Omono
Think it’s a holly or holm oak, it’s evergreen (I didn’t know that some oaks came in evergreen) but the leaves stay small, good news for bonsai training
ibakey
Mame
Hi guys, thanks for the interesting thread, Im thinking of getting an oak tree but still on the fence about whether to get the english oak or the american red oak. I wonder what you guys think about the differences between them or which species might be more interesting as a bonsai.
I understand that the american red oak will have better autumn colours, but the english oak have a coarser bark? Perhaps the bark will look the same.
But I do recall reading somewhere that white oaks are generally better for bonsai.
I understand that the american red oak will have better autumn colours, but the english oak have a coarser bark? Perhaps the bark will look the same.
But I do recall reading somewhere that white oaks are generally better for bonsai.
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
Big old Red Oaks have really rugged bark. I used to have 4 beautiful logs as decorations next to my fireplace because the bark was spectacular. I have an English Oak forest underway, but they are really, really slow growing and subject to winter-kill of tips. English leaves reduce well.
Woocash
Omono
As far as I’m aware, red oaks have leaves that most would consider too big for bonsai. English oak would be perfect for bonsai if it wasn’t so slow growing and finicky about root work. I‘d never say never though because an old, lone sentinel type English oak is still the unicorn for me.
I‘m putting my hand up for turkey oak, Quercus Cerris. Very similar characteristics to English oak, but seems to be a little more suited to the upheaval of root work. I have a 100% record of collected turkey oaks and only around 20% for English oaks with the same treatment. Also grows a fair bit faster as well it seems.
I‘m putting my hand up for turkey oak, Quercus Cerris. Very similar characteristics to English oak, but seems to be a little more suited to the upheaval of root work. I have a 100% record of collected turkey oaks and only around 20% for English oaks with the same treatment. Also grows a fair bit faster as well it seems.
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
Laurel Oak is nice. I have one from an acorn I gathered in FL 13 years ago. I had originally made a forest, but they didn't play well together and I took it apart and just grow as a singleton now. It is semi-evergreen, which is to say that it doesn't lose all its leaves in the greenhouse over winter, but looks like shit anyway. It's defoliated right now, but here it is last year...
I'm starting to get layers/clouds, but it's like pulling teeth because of apical dominance. They sucker like crazy, too, when chopped.
I'm starting to get layers/clouds, but it's like pulling teeth because of apical dominance. They sucker like crazy, too, when chopped.
Lutonian
Chumono
I don't think anyone has mentioned the other native English oak Quercus Petraea the sessile oak https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_petraea or there hybrids https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_×_rosacea just as good for bonsai as Quercus Robur
Big Country Bonsai
Shohin
Still very early on in its development but this is a Buckley oak that I posted a little over a year ago. I think it’s a rather quick developer for an oak but a lot more to come from this guy.
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Big Country Bonsai
Shohin
Here’s another type of oak I’m working on. Still very early in the development process as well. This is a escarpment live oak (Quercus fusiformis). Once considered a variety of southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) it is adapted to more arid conditions of Texas.
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Jzack605
Chumono
A few good oak sources for species. I have a PDF of the first one on my phone.
Asymetrix
Yamadori
I was scouting recently for new material to collect this fall or next spring and happened to come across a very unusual oak. In form that is.
Trunk is about 3 inches in diameter. Very contorted and cascades slightly before growing upward. It is maybe 10 feet tall but also has a small branch that has sprouted off the trunk near the cascade.
I believe it is a chestnut oak. Swamp, rock, or chinkapin perhaps. Any help identifying would be greatly appreciated as oaks are new to me and illinois has quite a variety of species.
Anyway, curious if this oak would be worthwhile to collect, as its very unique. It has some smaller roots visible but I was unable to gage its nebari without a tool available. It does wiggle a fair bit which seems hopeful.
Trunk is about 3 inches in diameter. Very contorted and cascades slightly before growing upward. It is maybe 10 feet tall but also has a small branch that has sprouted off the trunk near the cascade.
I believe it is a chestnut oak. Swamp, rock, or chinkapin perhaps. Any help identifying would be greatly appreciated as oaks are new to me and illinois has quite a variety of species.
Anyway, curious if this oak would be worthwhile to collect, as its very unique. It has some smaller roots visible but I was unable to gage its nebari without a tool available. It does wiggle a fair bit which seems hopeful.
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Asymetrix
Yamadori
LittleDingus
Omono
In my area (Kansas City), chinquapin have deeper lobes. The shape of you leaves are right, but here, the lobes formed around the leaf veins are deeper.
Same with our swamp oaks.
But oak leaves are variable...even on the same tree. Water and sun access can impact their sixe and shape a lot.
One fairly reliable way to tell swamp from chinquapin is to feel the undersides of the leaves. Swamp oaks are harrier and will feel velvety. Chinquapin feels more smooth. The undersides of swamp oak leaves will often flash white in the sun.
But can be hard to see the white up close.
Oaks are notoriously hard to collect
I've had good luck with chinquapin. Zero fatalities so far...but small sample size. The ones I've collected I took in the fall (November) and got much less root ball than I was comfortable with. I kept them in the garage so the root ball stayed above freezing and kept them well watered. I chop at collection...they do back bud well.
BrianBay9
Masterpiece
That looks like a monster of a collecting challenge. Good luck!
ibakey
Mame
Very nice. Although over here, I will only have the choice of quercus robur (English oak) vs quercus rubra ( American red oak). It’s excellent to hear that the red oak have equally rugged barks. Now I’m on the fence, I was thinking of getting the English oak for the history of the tree, but now I’m not too sure.
