English Oak Bonsai Care Guide

Quercus robur

English Oak Bonsai

Native to Europe and Western Asia. A famous deciduous, Quercus broad spread of lobed leaves and attractive bark can be found across temperate regions the world over. English Oak is a slow-growing species, that bears acorns in the Autumn. Both Turkey Oak and Sessile Oak are also found in Europe and used for bonsai aswell. 

English Oak Bonsai Care Tips

Find an outdoor location that can provide your English Oak with healthy air circulation and full sun. During the summer and the growing season, this is essential. This species is hardy but if facing a winter with prolonged cold conditions a shed or greenhouse to protect from frost is advised.

English Oak require watering every day across the growing season. The amount of water should be increased in the summer. The soil needs keeping just moist.

English Oak respond well to conistent misting in the summer months. This can be done by using a mister to spray the leaves, as well as placing a gravel tray under the pot to create a more humid microclimate around the tree and reduce evaporation from the leaves.

When the growth has hardened off in Spring, your English can be fed every two weeks with a half-strength feed. This should take place from the hardening off till Summer. 

Pruning your bonsai is important not only to create or maintain an aesthetic style but also to ensure optimal health. Pruning should be done at the start of Spring. Pinch out unwanted bud tips in mid-summer and trim new shoots in Autumn. Prune leaves in the early summer. 

Wiring should take place in the Spring or Summer if needed, most shaping can be done through pruning. Wires should be left on for a year maximum. Do not trap the leaves under the wires. We recommend using wires with a thickness that matches the thickness of the branch: if the wire you choose is too thick you will damage the bark. If it is too thin, it won’t be effective.

Repotting your tree is an important way to provide a fresh and suitable soil mix and ensure appropriate root health. Common Oak requires a deep pot to grow in, repot every 2-3 years in the Spring. 

Trees that are ready for repotting will require root pruning, a suitable new pot and appropriate soil mix.

When repotting, do not cut back the root mass by a large amount, and choose a well-draining soil mix that has a neutral or slightly higher PH value of 5-6 but not over 7. We tend to use a mixture of different speciality bonsai soils on our trees. Every species is different so please contact us for free soil-mix advice or to take advantage of our repotting service.

A genus common to the Northern Hemisphere, Quercus is the genus of Oak with more than 500 species. An incredible stalwart of nature and its surrounding ecosystems, Oak support nearly 1000 species. The Cork Oak is a rare yet popular choice for bonsai. This species has become a national tree for many nations and many individual subspecies hold cultural significance. 

Bonsai trees aren’t only magnificent additions to an indoor oasis, they are more than capable of standing out in any garden. Many Bonsai species are incredibly hardy and withstand nature’s colder and damper turns with aplomb making them worthwhile outdoor plants. We have an extensive library of care guides for outdoor bonsai trees. It’s not about selecting the perfect bonsai, it’s about selecting the perfect bonsai for you. 

English Oak Bonsai - Typical Queries

English Oak bonsai are best propagated with seeds. Air layering and cuttings don’t root. 

Oaks are prone to mildew in the powdery form. Use a mix of 10 ml rapeseed il, 10g baking soda, 1 litre of water with one drop of dishwasher detergent to negate this. Spray consistently over many days till the desired result. Bacterial leaf scorch and oak leaf gall can occur. Dieback can also occur with this species on its own accord, cut back to healthy tissue to address this.  

Aphids, leafminers, scale and oak worms are also known to intrude on oak trees. These can be health with either through hand, water or pesticide. 

 

 

As a hardy deciduous from a temperate climate, this species is best grown outdoors. A frost-free frame may be appropriate in the depths of coldest winter but indoors is not advisable.