I first wrote about this Live oak, Quercus virginiana, back in October 2015. It’s been sitting on the bench now for a couple of years, and aside from letting it grow out and giving it a haircut a couple of times a year, I haven’t done anything with it.
It has a solid history. First collected in 1997 by my late friend Allen Gautreau, it’s clearly got both actual age and age-in-training on its side. Over the years Allen brought the tree to a high level of artistry.
Since the last repotting of this old specimen was back in 2014, I felt it was certainly due some attention. This was true both below the soil surface as well as above. Time for some renewal pruning, clearing out crossing branches, etc.
When I removed the tree from its container and began cleaning up the area near the trunk base, I found that there’s a fine nebari and it’s been hidden likely for some time. Meaning there’s even more awesomeness to this specimen, just waiting to be uncovered.
Here’s what I ended up with. I turned the tree slightly in its new pot, so as to present the nebari in a more pleasing way. The branching had gotten out of hand, with plenty of crossing branches, plenty pointing back into the tree, etc. And the silhouette was a bit rangy.
All in all, I think I’ve done right by this Live oak bonsai. In a couple of weeks, it should start pushing new buds. I’ll let it grow out for a while, and then prune it back again. Stay tuned for an update later this year.
The trunk base on this tree is 2.25″ above the root crown, by the way, and it’s 21″ tall from the soil surface.
One more thing about live oaks, for those of you who haven’t worked with them. They are not technically evergreen, though you will read or hear that they are. The more correct term is “persistent-leaved.” Each year the foliage is shed, however, this occurs as new foliage emerges so effectively the tree is “evergreen.” They do not hold their foliage for two or more years, as pines and junipers do.
I’d love to hear what you think of this Live oak bonsai. Leave me a comment below.
Is this one for sale, I lost one I had for 25 years , Don’t know how many years I have left but I’d like to have another one let me know if it’s for sale if not I will take the other one that you recently wire is a three or 4 inch base it has potential potential
Hi there! I am trying to gather info on collecting one of these. I understand they are very deep rooted and hard to collect. The one I am interested in is just a 6-8 inch stump with new branches emerging from it. The hope would be to keep it at shohin size.
I wish I could give you some sure-fire advice, Jakob, but Live oak is one tough customer to collect. I had some success last year collecting on March 1st, which in my area is right around when they’re about to change their foliage for the season. No guarantee it’ll work for you, but worth a try.
Lovely tree. Have many small trees growing from the roots of larger live oaks, haven’t had any luck keeping them alive in a pot. They do fine in the ground and grow well. Have you worked with offshoots?
Thank you, Jane. As for root sprouts, I’ve never had luck with any.
Zach, beautiful specimen, I love live oaks. Question: Just attempted to collect a lonicera tatarica specimen (type of honeysuckle) – cool nebari (4-5″), trunk (3″). Built a grow box but I’m worried I killed it b/c had to cut off a lot of big roots too fit, not too many fine feeder roots right up close to base so I’m not sure if enough left on to survive. If I encounter that again, should I put in a giant pot with its own soil to recover for a year (and hopefully get more feeder roots close to base)? Also, I ended up using a ton of expensive bonsai soil for the box, do you use premium bonsai soil in your grow pots or save it for bonsai pot? Thanks, Luke
Luke, my experience with vines is they don’t need any roots at all when you dig them! Not that you want to go that far, but if they come out with no feeders they really won’t care. As for soil, I use the same mix as for my bonsai only it’s not sifted for the nursery container.