Damaged Oak - great deal on price - but to risky?

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jimmerpro Plainfield, IL(Zone 5a) Sep 25, 2006

There is a columnar English Oak I found - looks great. Nice structure, very full leafed. Very healthy looking except for a large opening in the bark near the bottom. I'm going to try to post pictures. It seems dry inside. It seems like an old wound.
The person working there said care would have to be taken - no mulching over the opening. He suggest alcohol (rubbing???) be applied to protect from wood rot. He mentioned it looked like it has been healing.
It's the perfect tree I've been looking for except for this wound. Of course they don't have healthy ones left. I probably would have paid full price for this tree. $400. I've been looking and haven't seen any this nice at near by nurseries.
What do you think?

Jim

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jimmerpro Plainfield, IL(Zone 5a) Sep 25, 2006

Trying image again...........

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jimmerpro Plainfield, IL(Zone 5a) Sep 25, 2006

Why don't I see the images I'm uploading?

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Resin Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a) Sep 25, 2006

Young trees recover from wounds better than old trees; it is unlikely to be a long-term problem.

Don't treat the wound with anything, open fresh air is the best.

Resin

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escambiaguy Atmore, AL(Zone 8b) Sep 25, 2006

I have never heard of putting alcohol on a tree wound. I wonder how it is supposed to help.


The problem with the pictures has happened to me several times last week.

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jimmerpro Plainfield, IL(Zone 5a) Sep 26, 2006

Thanks for the replies. I think you might think the wound is too large if you see a pic.
I'm going to keep trying to load a pic.

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jimmerpro Plainfield, IL(Zone 5a) Sep 26, 2006

Image

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jimmerpro Plainfield, IL(Zone 5a) Sep 26, 2006

image.....

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jimmerpro Plainfield, IL(Zone 5a) Sep 26, 2006

image........

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StarhillForest Illinois, IL(Zone 5b) Sep 26, 2006

I just posted a reply on your other thread before I found this. Can you consolidate everything to one thread so we're not bouncing around on this?

Guy S.

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jimmerpro Plainfield, IL(Zone 5a) Sep 27, 2006

From Guy:
Guy S.>>>

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jimmerpro Plainfield, IL(Zone 5a) Sep 27, 2006

This wound you see in these fuzzy pics is old. It shows signs of healing but I can see how it would ever completely close up.
Can the tree be protected some how in that area using suppliments or topicals? Or let it be?
Do you think if I buy it now I'll be sorry in a few years?

It's a great looking tree - very healthy everywhere else. It's the exact one I was looking for - except for that wound........Jim

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StarhillForest Illinois, IL(Zone 5b) Sep 27, 2006

Well, if you gotta have it then you gotta have it. If you can keep it vigorous it will close the wound OK. My main concern is that a wound that large (i.e. involving that much of the circumference of the tree), near the base, on a transplant-stressed tree, can be a serious problem.

Something else to consider: Since you live in the Midwest, one of the fastigiate hybrids might be better adapted to your climate and avoid the mildew problem. There are fastigiate crosses involving Q. bicolor and/or Q. alba that do better here, and some of them even give you fall color. But it might be tough finding them, at least at any size. I think Fiore's might have some 12-15-foot Crimson Spire (good form, disease resistance, and color) you might check out. Other selections are Regal Prince and Nadler (good form and disease resistance, available at some nurseries, no fall color), and some of our own like Chimney Fire and Birthday Candle (similar but both have color), and Windcandle (sinuous erect form), but ours are newer and not yet available in landscape size. See the photos linked under "Cultivars" on our web site.

Guy S.

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Kevin_5 Elburn, IL(Zone 5a) Sep 27, 2006

I like that 'Chimney Fire'! Do you only have the parent plants of these, or do you have small grafts?

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StarhillForest Illinois, IL(Zone 5b) Sep 27, 2006

No grafts here. I need to check with Lanny on that to see if he has some started from the scions I sent him.
Guy S.

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