Live Oak for Bonsai

[James H]

I was wondering if anyone uses live oak Quercus virginiana for bonsai? I ask because we have some young trees in some of the flower beds at my work that will be pulled up and thrown away and if anyone can use them for bonsai I will dig them up and send them off. I hate to see them pulled up and trashed.

 

[Poink88]

Live Oak makes wonderful bonsai. I was told that a well known TX bonsai enthusiast (Vito Megna I believe) once said that if he can go back in time...he will bonsai nothing but Live Oak.

That said, starting from seedling will take very long time. I started a couple nursery stock ($8 and $25) and chopped them to a stub. Both are doing very well. The $8 and $25 dollars I paid probably saved me 4 to 6 years in trunk development...not to mention that I managed to choose from many w/ the traits I want.

Thanks for willingness to share though.

 

[James H]

No problem I just hate to see them go to waste. If anyone is interested let me know. I will probably go ahead and remove them and get them in nursery pots to let them grow.

 

[Just a Sponge Mann]

Good luck! I am going to try it out this winter. Thank you guys for the idea.

 

[evmibo]

I just collected one that was too close to my house about ~3? weeks ago. Last week is started shooting buds.

 

[evmibo]

Here's a better pic of it this morning after some rain... Will carve some later this year.

 

[bonsfl]

How did this pan out? I have one I’m thinking of collecting