Refining a large cork oak

I’ve really enjoyed working on cork oak bonsai this year. The bark can be beautiful and the variety grows quickly where I live.

This fall, I contributed to an article published in the current issue of Bonsai: Journal of the American Bonsai Society that focuses on oaks. One of the trees I wrote about is a large specimen that I worked on for the first time this year.

Large cork oak

Not a small tree!

The tree had been trained as bonsai for some time but suffered a setback about a year before I acquired it (note the stubs on the photo above from the previous primary branches). Since then, it has been allowed to grow freely to regain its vigor.

Based on the lowest branches that survived, I decided to change the front about 30 degrees to the left of the previous front.

New front

The work consisted of branch selection, cutback and wiring.

After cutback and wiring

Since completing this work in September, the tree has continued to grow rapidly – so much so that I expect to work on it again in early spring.

For more info about oak bonsai, check out the current issue of the American Bonsai Society’s Journal by becoming a member.