What's going on with my young live oak?

9 years ago

We inherited this funky looking young live oak when we purchased our house. Do I need to prune it to encourage growing up or let it continue to grow like this? Thanks in advance - we are novices.

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Comments (5)

Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
9 years ago
First tell us where you live and what type of live oak it is. Gravel mulch suggests a dry southwestern climate, in which case it could be one of any number of oaks, some tree form, some more scrubby.
dbarron
9 years ago
Dave is quite right, but I'm going to take a pre-stab that it needs more water. That may not be valid, based on what you reply to his questions...but that was the case in Houston, if you water it, it'll grow.
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Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
9 years ago
Maybe post a close up of the foliage for a confirmation of the ID. that is a bit of a unusual looking growth pattern. where I live we can't grow live oak. those I have noticed are all wide mature trees, usually with cool moss hanging on them in the sout east. Do they start pyramidal when young guys?
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
caN YOU TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO POST AN UPRIGHT PIC ... oops.. sorry ...

first.. i would like to see the root flare.. or lack of it ...

and if planted at the proper depth .... and presuming its been in situ for a couple years... i would probably start taking a lower branch or two ... its time to encourage it up ... unless you want a bushy low hanging tree ... [we are trying to insure.. the transplant.. is fully established.. before we start messing with it again]

but you said: Do I need to prune it to encourage growing up

and that is a bit confusing in your use of words ... so all i can do.. is throw some generalities at you ... ready?? ..lol ...

it is suggested that trees are twice as big below ground as above ... and they really dont start growing to potential .. until a transplant regrows its roots lost from the transplant process ... as in.. it was field grown.. most of its roots where cut off.. for delivery at your house ... unfortunately.. we dont have this history ... so the best we can do.. is speculate ...

another thing that is very important... is insuring.. after the transplant .. is that the entire root mass planted.. is kept PROPERLY WATERED for two years.. again ... no history ... many newbs.. dont understand.. that it is irellevant.. whether a plant is drought tolerant.... on a new transplant.. because any such tolerance.. was destroyed by such .... so we baby it along until it shows signs of being fully established .... and yours kinda looks like it outgrew the prune job for sale ..... anyway ...

i would pull back the stone .. if that is what it is ... and i would take a hand trowel.. and dig down 3 to 6 inches.. and find out how dry the soil is ... and if its dry at depth ... i would put the hose on trickle .. a give it a real good drink .... repeatedly digging new hole around the perimeter.. until.. i was sure.. the soil was moist at 6 inches ... in at least a 3 foot circle around the trunk ... and i would note hwo long that took ... and i would repeat such.. maybe once a month or so ... reducing such over the next year or two ... until it is.. for sure.. ready to go free range ....

meanwhile i would also figure out where the root flare is ....

while you are sitting on the porch watching the trickling... high drama here.. usually involves beer or wine .. lol ... i would sit there.. and figure out... WHAT MY GOAL WAS FOR THE TREE .... as far as how high you want to raise the bottom ... i prefer my trees.. high enough that i can walk or ride the lawnmower under them at speed.. without being decapitated .... or my eyes poked out ... and once i had a goal in mind.. i would figure out how to prune it .. its not really a once and done thing ...

once again.. tree grow upright by themselves ... we do NOT prune to make the do such.. or to do it faster ... there is no immediate gratification on making a tree grow ...

but we do prune.. to accomplish a training goal.. to make the plant .. yes.. any plant... what we want it ...

ken
joeinmo 6b-7a
9 years ago
Nothing is going wrong with your live oak, unlike most trees that loose their leaves in fall, live oaks loose their old leaves in spring, most of the time on older live oaks you can't tell because they replace as fast as they fall off, but a young one like yours is noticable - it will be fine in a month flush with new leaves. NO never trim a live oak - if there are damaged branches wait till the dead of summer where there is not a possibility of moisture causing fungus to enter open areas from fresh cuts, or cut in the dead of winter. Live oaks are spectacular trees and they should left alone to grow naturally in most cases unless of course growing into house etc.

Depending on your location - they are moderate growers - so don't expect a big tree quickly