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Oak Bonsai

All That You Ever Wanted To Know

Oak Bonsai is one of the most common varieties of tree used for Bonsai. The word Oak is a generic name for many different species of trees and shrubs. The genus is predominantly found in the northern hemisphere and includes both evergreen trees and deciduous trees.

The Oak tree is found across several regions of the world starting from the Cold climate in upper latitudes to tropical climates in Asia and America.

The Oak tree is very nature hardy, in the sense that they are very strong and resistant to insect attacks. They have a wide range of industrial applications ranging from the leather industry to music industry where it is used in manufacturing professional drums.

The oak tree is grand and attractive to look at and that is exactly why the Oak is a good species for miniaturization. The main varieties of Oak that can be used for bonsai are

Cork Oaks
Cork oaks are used for bonsai because they are evergreen in nature and have a slight tinge of grey to the green colour on their leaves. Cork Oak has a very beautiful deep fissured bark and is a pleasure to the sight. The normal variety of Cork Oak is used for making wine corks.

Coast Live Oaks
Of all the varieties of Oak, Coast live oaks are the most ubiquitous. Unlike Cork Oak the Coast Live oak has a smooth bark. The leaves of the Cork Oak are curled and have spines on the edge.

English Oak The English Oak is deciduous in nature and has a rough bark. The bark tends to split when the tree becomes older.

Blue Oak This is the perfect candidate for the Bonsai, the reason being that it is not a very fast growing tree. However it can grow up to heights of 50ft. The added feature of the Blue Oak is its blue-green leaves, and light coloured bark.

Collecting Saplings

The best time for collecting wild oaks for your bonsai is from January through April. While collecting, remove all the foliage leaving only a few leaves at the tip of the branches. Ensure that you dig deep into the soil and collect as many roots as you possibly can.

Pruning and Repotting Oak Bonsai

You should carry out the pruning and wiring of your bonsai at regular intervals in order to give proper shape to it and keep it trained.

Prune the leaves of your bonsai during the months of August. This should be done to promote new growth. Ensure that the tree is in proper health before carrying out the pruning exercise.

You can consider repotting of your bonsai during the periods when your tree is in a dormant state, this can usually be done during a prolonged summer or during the winter season.

You should prune the roots during the spring season. During repotting also ensure that the Oak Bonsai is relatively strong and is not supple, as this would increase the risk of damage during the repotting exercise.

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