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fampoula_gw

ordinary oak sapling?

fampoula
10 years ago

Is this anything other than an ordinary oak sapling? When the foliage first came out in the spring, it was reddish, fading to green. I thought the previous homeowner might have planted it intentionally. Or is it something that took root where it shouldn't have?

I'd like to move it because it's so close to the path.

Comments (9)

  • carol23_gw
    10 years ago

    The acorn was probably stashed by a squirrel. I cannot imagine anyone planting a tree next to a path. It will have a deep root.

  • shadeyplace
    10 years ago

    which oak do you think this is?

  • fampoula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I don't know enough to venture to guess, but maybe someone else does. We have an oak tree in the back part of our yard, which I have also found small saplings of, but this must be a different variety. When it started showing leaves in spring, they were red at the bottom fading to green at the top. During the summer, they turned to green. Quite pretty. It's too bad I don't have a location to transplant this.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    there might be some tree peeps that can WAG .. in the tree forum.. whom i have never seen here

    but they will preface their guess by saying immature oaks.. do not have true leaves... and that is why they will guess ...

    if you want to ID the monster.. a pic of a leaf.. the bark.. and whole.. will probably get you an ID there... and that will put you in the ballpark with this one.. subject to who fertilized the nut ... and i think the pollen is wind borne.. so it could be any oak for miles around.. but will defer on that ...

    if you have any inclination to save it.. find the proper planting time wherever you are.. dig it out.. bare root.. and reduce to one leader ... in my z5 MI.. this would be april .. while fully dormant.. 6 to 8 weeks before it is supposed to leaf out.. what i call.. root growing time ...

    ken

  • fampoula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Question: I started digging this up this weekend and it is even mor deeply rooted than I thought. I am about 2 ft down and can't get the root any further loosened. Do I need to get the entire root to kill the tree? Or can I just cut the root of where it is and re-bury?

  • shadeyplace
    10 years ago

    no you do not have to get the entire tap root...but as much as you can...looks like red oak

  • fampoula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you!

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    tap roots are a myth ...

    on this size tree.. i would not be concerned about anything more than 12 inches ....

    you should have done it as soon as the leaves fell off.. but you are close enough ...

    replant in native soil... no fert.. no amending.. and you are responsible for mulch and proper water for two years ... see link

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    10 years ago

    Absolutely not a red oak or even one of the hundreds species in the red oak group of oaks. With its rounded leaf tips, this tree belongs in the white oak group.

    Which one? It's very difficult to ID a young oak...without the clues of mature bark, acorns, etc. Plus, oaks are famous about hybridizing.

    Anyway, since you don't have a place to transplant it, just prune it to the ground. I rather doubt that it will come back and the roots will begin to die on their own. If it should put out a new shoot in the spring, prune it the minute you see it.