Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia)

[Jay Wilson]

Here's another of the oaks native to my area.
Laurel oaks are an evergreen oak in that they keep their leaves all winter and only drop them as the new leaves come in in the spring. Sometimes they'll keep their leaves for two years.

You folks form the west coast will see a resemblance to some of your oaks in the leaf shape and color.

I collected this tree a few years ago and it's been getting a little better each year. It's got a too straight, limbless section of the trunk that I can't get to break any buds on so I guess I need to try some grafting to get something to work with in that area....Maybe next year.

The nebari is looking ok from a couple of sides which also happen to be possible fronts- That's something unusual with my trees. Usually the best nebari is on the worst side for a front



Before and after a trim-up.

 

[Jay Wilson]

Here's another side.

 

[PaulH]

Looking good! Nice nebari and the lichens are cool too.

 

[the bonsai kid]

very nice tree.Wish i had an oak

 

[Jay Wilson]

Thanks Paul, I enjoy the lichens too, though they are starting to get a bit out of scale for the tree.

And thank you kid....Don't they have oaks in IL.?

 

[Zach Smith]

Jay, I think you have a bit of myopia about this tree. It's fine just like it is. If it were mine I'd let it grow out a bit and bring some of the outer branches downward like a live oak. All you need is time and a little work. It's a really nice oak.

Zach

 

[Jay Wilson]

Thanks Zack, I may be a little myopic, but the tree is far from fine. Time and a lot of work could make this into a nice bonsai.

I like the idea of pulling the branches down to emulate a live oak. I think I'll work towards that direction. Thanks for the idea....I guess I did need to step a little farther back and look again at the tree.

Here's a picture of the tree in mid April this year after a trim and defoliating. To me, the straight up trunk in the middle is a real problem. I haven't decided to try to thread graft some branches on it or just let it grow vigorously for a while and cut it back hard to try for some buds breaking to make some branches and a new leader.

 

[rockm]

"To me, the straight up trunk in the middle is a real problem."

Why? It's not all that promient in the photos. The image you have now is a great example of an eastern oak image. Pulling the branches down and spreading them a bit is a great idea. I think additional branching from that central leader would look confusing and would muddle the look. FWIW, This isn't zelkova and shouldn't be forced to be one...

 

[Jay Wilson]

"To me, the straight up trunk in the middle is a real problem."

Why? It's not all that promient in the photos.

That's 'cause I compose the pictures to downplay it

Thanks, Rock, I guess it's something I've focused on (like Zack said) and wasn't seeing the whole tree. Thanks for both of your inputs. I'll have to stand back from the tree for a bit and re-think my concept of it.

 

[the bonsai kid]

Yes Jay theres oaks around here but there leaves are so big the tree would have to be massive to be in scale.i plan to get a live oak some day

 

[JudyB]

Thanks for sharing this wonderful tree. I agree that it's very nice already. Pulling down the branches a bit will only make it better....

 

[Zach Smith]

I see what you mean about the central leader. I don't know if laurel oaks respond well to chopping, but ideally you could cut that leader back and it would be nice to you and bud back with great vigor. Ideally.

Keep us posted. I still say this is a fine oak, and it's only going to get better with time.

Zach

 

[milehigh_7]

Jay, as always I love your posts. You definitely have your own style and that is neat to see. I think you will be surprised how good this looks with the branches pulled down and once the thiner main branches thicken up.

 

[Jay Wilson]

Judy, you're welcome and thank You for your kind words.

Zack, I suspect laurel oaks will back-bud fairly well... But it's one of those things that if in this particular case it doesn't, then what? I've defoliated and then trimmed again already so far this year so I think I'll wait for awhile before cutting back if i even decide to do it.

Clyde, thank you! My own style? Not! Really, it's just how things end up because of what I have to work with.
I'll work on bringing the branches down...

No one has ask the size of this tree, but I'm gonna show it anyway.

Thanks folks for all your nice comments and encouragements.

 

[Zach Smith]

I know what you mean. A student of mine gave me a nice little live oak. I had a great pot that Paul Katich made, but in order to get the tree in the pot I had to slaughter the root mass. Over the next few weeks all but a handful of the leaves died and dropped off, and some of the branches gave it up as well. But I waited patiently, and finally it began budding back out. Now it's flush with growth. What's interesting (though maybe not surprising) is that the branches that held onto leaves were the ones that budded back out (and back-budded). I don't know if this is how live oaks behave, as I don't have extensive experience with almost killing them. Laurel oaks may behave similarly.

Zach

 

[rockm]

The guy who collected my live oak said that in collecting them they always hoped all the leaves would drop off a few days after digging. Live oaks that held onto their leaves after digging were almost always goners. The ones that dropped them recovered.

 

[Crawforde]

Any updates on this tree?
I really like it and was wondering how it was coming along.