Cork oak

[MiguelMC]

Greetings everyone
Spring is finally here and with it come the new years growth.
I have a Cork Oak that I've collected late last year or early this year, honestly I can't remember and at the time the tree was in rough shape and since the owner wanted it to be cut down ASAP and since really liked the shape of the trunk I decided to take her home with me.

Now tbh I'm unsure if I'm being reasonable enough to expect new growth to burst from the trunk since I've never had a cork bark tree. also the tree is as thick trunk due the cork but at the base since it lacks any cor it slimmer with create a reverse taper? can I expect cork to form over that area or is it better for me to graft some seedling there and in the process create better nebari

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I have not been successful getting cork oak to bud through old bark once it is more than a couple of years old and starts to cork up. Looking at your tree, it may or may not be possible - the cork is not yet that thick. However if you reduce the trunk, or prune back a large branch, you can usually get new buds to form at the cut scar.

Since you just recently potted up the tree, I would wait a year to let it get established. Then, to be honest, I would probably cut the trunk back pretty severely, and start a new trunk from bottom of the trunk. This will not only give you low branches to work with, but it will develop taper that you currently lack, and you will still be able to wire your trunk in whatever shape or direction you wish. The great thing about cork oak is that it covers over wound scars so quickly.

Don't forget your acid fertilizer!

 

[MiguelMC]

I have not been successful getting cork oak to bud through old bark once it is more than a couple of years old and starts to cork up. Looking at your tree, it may or may not be possible - the cork is not yet that thick. However if you reduce the trunk, or prune back a large branch, you can usually get new buds to form at the cut scar.

Since you just recently potted up the tree, I would wait a year to let it get established. Then, to be honest, I would probably cut the trunk back pretty severely, and start a new trunk from bottom of the trunk. This will not only give you low branches to work with, but it will develop taper that you currently lack, and you will still be able to wire your trunk in whatever shape or direction you wish. The great thing about cork oak is that it covers over wound scars so quickly.

Don't forget your acid fertilizer!

ty for the quick response and yes I might have to cut it back quite hard, I was thinking about doing so around the first bend, the picture that i took its not great since you cant get a clear image of the structure, it has a bit of taper but not much, the major problem is the base since it's lacking cork it isn't as thick as the rest of the tree.
I've hear of people stripping the bark of the oak to create back budding but I'm unsure if that is a good idea tbh

 

[0soyoung]

Famously, the bark is harvested without destroying the cambium, so maybe selectively thinning the bark will a) fix the appearance of reverse taper or b) help with budding along the trunk. I mean cut or abrade some of the bark off above the narrowest part of the trunk.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Now tbh I'm unsure if I'm being reasonable enough to expect new growth to burst from the trunk

Yes. Personal tree did this.

 

[Shibui]

All these plans may be putting the cart before the horse. I find that Oaks in general and cork oak in particular do not respond well to severe root reduction. It may take several years to regain enough strength to cope with further work. Maybe let it recover first before making plans for the future.

My experiences with corky bark trees concurs with Osoyoung. In cases of reverse taper where lower bark has gone, rub off upper bark to match. It only takes a few years to form again and actually matches the trunk even better.