Five Year Native Tree Challenge: Gabler's Pin Oak

[Gabler]

Another tree to add last minute before leaf-out. This one is a small Quercus palustris.

 

[Gabler]

 

[Gabler]

Back-budding has begun.

 

[Gabler]

 

[Gabler]

I pinched out the tips of the three dominant leaders to encourage the lower branches to thicken up.

I’m enjoying the reddish color of the new growth.

 

[LittleDingus]

Are you thinking a shorter tree? You might need to let it run to thicken otherwise.

The neighbors at our last house had a specimen pin oak out front. Beautifully shapped tree! Nice and tall and conical. The low branches grew down and out to give the tree a teardrop shape. It looked manicured though they didn't do much to it.

I hated that tree in the spring when the leaves fell during the rains and killed my lawn! It seems nothing kills a lawn faster than cold, wet oak leaves

Beautiful tree though. There time I have a chance to pick some pin oak acorns...

 

[Gabler]

Are you thinking a shorter tree?

Yeah. I'm gonna develop the tree as a shohin, so about eight inches. The fat part of the trunk is maybe four inches tall? From here on out, I'm planning to let all of the branches run for a while to thicken up, but I wanted to give the lower branches a head start, so they don't wither and die. Pin oaks grow pretty much like conifers in overall conformation, so they're strongly apically dominant.

 

[Gabler]

Not many branches, but healthy and moving in the correct direction.

 

[Gabler]

A quick update.

 

[Gabler]

The first hint of fall color for the year.

 

[stu929]

Looking forward to more updates next year!

 

[Gabler]

Looking forward to more updates next year!

One more update. Good color for an oak.

 

[stu929]

What is your eventful size goal? Plan ?

 

[Gabler]

What is your eventful size goal? Plan ?

Shohin, but I let the branches grow out a bit this season.

 

[stu929]

Shohin, but I let the branches grow out a bit this season.

Thanks for the reply. I plan to follow this closely.

Btw now I have to dig two more holes in the ground :-( thanks a lot

 

[Gabler]

Here’s a look at the current branch structure before the tree leafs out. I’m hoping to thicken the primary branches this year just a bit more before I focus on ramification. Lots of fertilizer this year.

 

[Zelrod]

Fantastic start!

 

[Gabler]

Fantastic start!

Thanks!

 

[Gabler]

Finally leafing out. This picture is from the back.

 

[Gabler]

The leaves are coming in a pretty reddish color this spring.