Wild live oak growing right next to Bur Oak

12 years ago

Hello all,
We moved into our house a few years ago. The previous owners planted a very nice Bur Oak in the front yard which we have been trying to take good care of. Two years ago we noticed a little live oak growing about two feet away from it. Maybe it was naive of us, but we decided to leave it alone. Both of the trees seem to be thriving, but now I'm worried that maybe I should cut down the little live oak since the Bur Oak is growing much faster, is about twenty feet tall, and is a great shade tree. Also, the live oak has galls on the end of several branches-- not sure if that could hurt the Bur Oak.

Can we let these trees grow right next to each other, or should we cut down the live oak to protect the Bur Oak? If so, will we need to wait until next winter to do it (to avoid oak wilt)?

Thank you in advance for your help!!!

--LC

This post was edited by Hime86 on Mon, Mar 18, 13 at 20:19

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Comments (8)

brandon7 TN_zone7
12 years ago
It looks messy to me, but it's your yard. If it were mine, the live oak (which looks a little bare in the picture) would be a goner ASAP. I don't see why the oak wilt would be a concern, but if you want to be hyper-vigilant, place a can, with a rock on top, over the stump for a few months.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
once you are POSITIVE its a separate tree ... cut it off at ground level.. and apply round up 100% to the cut.. and kill it ...

i would not have two GIANT trees.. that close to your house.. if i read the pic correctly ...

and since you have the saw out anyway.. proper lift the canopy of the one remaining.. so you can mow the lawn.. w/o poking your eyes out ... besides the fact that it looks like you have a broken branch pointing at 7 o'clock ...

better pix.. if you want pruning advice ...

ken
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I'm at least glad that you planted according to the root flare depth and, as j0on03 said, chopping out the girdling roots will pay dividends. Subjectively, I prefer a more natural arrangement. It appears that you planted yours in pretty much an equilateral triangle. If you are going to be planting that many trees you might "shake it up a bit." Obviously the windbreak would be more functional if evenly planted, but the property can look more park-like if alignments, spacings, and even initial sizes within a group of the same species are varied. It makes the scene look like the seeds were blown in and grew where they fell. And a last thought - that may be an external workshop, but it is on a concrete block foundation. As strong as bur oak wood is I wouldn't be too worried about a branch crunching the structure for a LONG time. But as the red oak pic below shows, over time oaks have powerful roots. Planted 8-9' away from the patio about 17 years ago... hortster
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i would have waited until the leaves fell off .. and then i wouldnt have to worry like you are now ... but i would still sit around all winter wondering if it would bud out in spring ... the tree went stress dormant when you dug it up ... it simply shut down the leaves.. if they actually hadnt all ready done so ... getting ready for Oct ... it will continue to grow roots [a tree dormant above remains active below] ... until very late into fall ... so keep it properly watered.. and mulched.. but dont drown it.. this time of year.. with cool days.. and cold nights.. you dont really need to provide a lot of water.. but you do need to check it.. insert finger ... all my transplants are bare root.. that is irrelevant.. IMHO ... as was .... IMHO.. the tap root .. i would have favored speed of transplant.. over spending excessive time on the tap ... timing could have been a bit better.. after the leaves fell off.. but i suspect your friend wanted it gone.. and you did what you had to do ... dont worry about it.. at worst.. you got some exercise.. and spent some time with a friend ... and you have a pre-dug hole for a new one.. if this one dies.. lol ... ken
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I'm not an anti-staker either but that is majorly overkill for the size tree that you have. Both look rediculous for that whip that you have. It looks like you could straighten it out in the planting hole. I would have the bendy side facing the west or northwest and not bother with stakes. Normally how people deal with that is they put a stake right up against the trunk and tie it to the stake. I wouldn't do that either but what you've done will do nothing for the shape of the trunk. The dan stanley method is a good one but for concerns of already straight trees from going bendy. It won't get currently bendy trees to go straight.
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alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama
12 years ago
I can't see it very good, but those two live oaks look a bit like Yaupon holly to me.
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Hime86
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks for all of your advice everyone! We decided to cut down the live oak tree (holly?) and painted the stump. We really appreciate all of your input :)

@Ken: Here is another picture of the Bur oak. Its lower branches have a tendency to grow at 45 degree angle towards the ground. If we wanted to trim these angled branches, can we do it now if we spray paint the wound? Or should we wait until next winter? I have been reading about oak wilt in Texas and it's making me a bit paranoid....

Thanks again :)
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poaky1
12 years ago
Your Burr oak looks pretty impressive. If you really wanted a Live oak it should be easy to obtain and place where there is enough room in your yard.
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bengz6westmd
12 years ago
Agree w/poaky, that's impressive. And so, don't mess too much w/it. And don't let another tree, live oak or whatever, grow under it.

If you don't like the lowest branches, cut them back at the ends as far back & high up as you want, but don't yet go hacking them off at the trunk.
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lcadem
12 years ago
I find your bur oak rather weird. I have never seen one having the lowest branches have that drooping quality. But then again, somewhere I read that bur oak has massive genetic variability.
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j0nd03
12 years ago
lca, it kind of has a pin oak quality to those downward branches. The top 2/3 - 3/4 looks great. I would trim those low branches back to the trunk in a heartbeat, personally. The lowest 4-8 branches would be gone by the end of this year.

John
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Wild live oak growing right next to Bur Oak

Comments (8)

brandon7 TN_zone7

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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Wild live oak growing right next to Bur Oak

Comments (8)

brandon7 TN_zone7

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama

Hime86Original Author

poaky1

bengz6westmd

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j0nd03

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Hime86
Original Author