Cork Oak (Sick) with some brown/white stuff on the leaves

fred · Yellow Belt Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Posts: 91 Location: Harare

Hi guys, I have a very sick Cork Oak and don't know what's wrong with it. Got it like that, I had it in shade for almost 3 months, it has not changed its appearance once? Its now in full sun but it seems sick. Here's a few pic's (see links below), if anyone can help identify its sickness or help me make the leaves shine overall some advice on how the poor oak can look good again.

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk119/j1250zw4/31072008003.jpg

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk119/j1250zw4/31072008003.jpg

Any info is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Fred

imholte

Your soil looks less than adequate, perhaps the roots are suffering and causing the tree to slowly die. Do you have a bigger picture of the tree? One might cut it way back and start over for your branches seem very leggy and sparse, should wake up the tree a little or kill it.

fred · Yellow Belt Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Posts: 91 Location: Harare

Hi imholte,

Thanks for the feedback; here's a big picture;

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk119/j1250zw4/Bonsai/opt12.jpg

(that when I just got it - above)

and some detail on the bottom;

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk119/j1250zw4/31072008007.jpg

a bit to the top;

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk119/j1250zw4/31072008006.jpg

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk119/j1250zw4/31072008005.jpg

Thanks guys!

splendidplumage

It looks like it has perhaps just got a bit scorched and perhaps has a bit of mildew.

As Imholte says it is far too leggy.
I would plant it in a bigger pot, trim it back (to be cautious cut back to current leaves but certainly cut the stuff on the left back most. You want most growth coming from the shoot growing up from the top) and feed it well so it may back bud and is more healthy.
Oh spray with a fungicide.

imholte

I think I would cut it back to the lowest shoot off the trunk, not much to work with above that, and the new shoot should induce some taper to the tree. But thats just me.

Dick

I think that the original leave may have been damaged in some way, perhaps by getting scortched. And not, they may not be functioning at peak capacity and are just producing enough chlorophyl to sustain the tree until it loses the leaves naturally. Pruning all oif the foliage and branches to make the shorter may be your best option. If that's what you choose to do, then it has to be done very soon in order to get some regrowth before fall. Otherwise, you could just leave it as is until next spring as see what happens.

fred · Yellow Belt Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Posts: 91 Location: Harare

Thanks for the advise. The pot its in does not drain very well. Actually does not drain at all. I'm going to re-pot it this weekend in a bigger pot and cut it down a bit. Can anyone advise how much I should cut off? Should I snip all the branches or just a few? Do I snip just after the leaf or the whole branch? If I snip all branches I will have just a stump/trunk? Is this correct? Can I go ahead and do this? Thanks again for the feedback guys!!! Smile

imholte

Dick

At this point in the season, I'd probably not repot the tree except to take it out of the bonsai pot and simply plant it in the ground or into a larger pot so that the roots can grow out. It sounds like it's root bound and in poor soil. Take the root ball and lightle scrape the outside surface of it so that some of the sine roots start to show and then place it in some good draining soil. That should helt restore some of the vigor this year. Then next spring see what happens when the buds swell and the leaves begin to appear. If the tree is vigorous growing then, you can consider repotting it in a bonsai pot in better bonsai soil.