lol, how young is too young to be considered 'pre-bonsai'? While investigating native plants for the contest, I discovered the Engelmann Oak, a native species I had absolutely no idea existed until recently--and I've lived here all my life! Unlike the ubiquitous Coast Live Oaks, the Engelmann or Mesa Oak as it's sometimes called, is in the blue oak family, and well, the reason I never knew they existed is because they're endangered. There are a few pockets of them still around in So Cal, and each population seems to have slightly different leaf characteristics, some being smooth-edged, others fully or partially lobed / serrated. They can hybridize with Scrub and Valley oaks, which may explain the diverse genetics.
I bought a seedling just for the heck of it, but it's got a lotta growing to do!