This isn’t my first attempt at finding a natural growing tree. Failed horrible the first time… ripped them out of the ground watered right away and often even left them in the direct sun light… they did not last long. Hopefully this time it turns out different. I collected a valley oak from near the The San Joaquin River next to valley children’s hospital (kind of sketchy but a ton more under the 41 right there also some flamboyant trees I collected some seeds) it was in a dry river bed so had to deal with some rocks but over all easy to get out with a solid amount of roots and tips or advice is welcome I am leaving it in the shade and holding off on watering for a few days any design advice is welcome as well thank you everyone
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I’d venture to say that’s the deciduous california valley oak and not a live oak.
Oaks can be tricky to collect as they tend to have large taproots. I’ve heard fall or winter is better, when it’s wetter (especially in the central valley) when there might be more feeder roots closer to the trunk. Did you have permission to collect the tree? Why was it sketchy?
under freeway passes in fresno california is always sketchy alot of crime and a high homeless population . its really intended to be a joke and no i didnt theres no one to ask lol it wasnt any type of protected land or privatly owned land it was actually in a place where it would have died or been removed it was in the middle of an overflow canal for frient dam. no one owns the wild and if its not private property im not all too concerned lol its all in good fun i didnt damage or harm or remove anything from a private residence. it being in a dried river bed made it so it had nexst to no tap root and all the smaller ones were close to the base i have a picture of the roots it was very sandy once i got the rocks out from around it it was pretty simple. the homeless people didnt seem to mind when they were asking me why i had a shovel under a freeway lol no one expects a 6’4 meat head covered in tattoos to collecting trees for bonsai lol
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100% right it is a deciduous quercus lobata
i have several valley oaks all from seed . save one i got out of my in laws tomato bed. so far mine are doing well hope yours do as well . im in Manteca where about are you again?