Poisonous Oak & Willow

I just watched a programme on Nat Geo and was interested to hear that 'Trees such as the Oak & Willow release ozone which is harmful to surrounding vegetation.'

I was wondering if anyone has had any unexplained health problems with trees or plants that are kept near their Oak or Willow bonsai? I have. I had a beautiful Yew that I got from Tony a couple of years ago. In it's first year in my garden, it grew brilliantly and showed all the signs of a vigorously healthy tree. Last year, I moved it next to my Oak, and since then it has slowly but surely lost branch after branch, and is now totally dead. It could be coincidence, I know, but nobody has yet been able to give me a definitaive answer as to what killed it. There is no sign of root damage, no weevils or grubs were evident either above or below soil, nor were there any signs of any of the other 'usual suspects' surrounding a sudden drop in health.

Makes you think, eh?

It just seems highly unlikely that something common would be quite that toxic to kill it in just a year. In my mind it seems that it would take a longer time of slowly weakening it. However, maybe yews or at least certain types of them are just that sensitive. Almost like each person can have different allergies to which they are highly sensitive too. I'm sorry for your loss of the yew. My guess is that it was a nice one since it used to be in Tony's garden

Hi Oak & Willow tree's will grow best in full sun, although will tolorate shade, however Yews grow best in shade, but will tolorate some sun. so IMHO it would be a problem with the watering, although Oak are slow growing like the Yew (Taxus Baccata),and like to be mist sprayed, the Oak & Willow will stand a wetter soil, so if you are watering your tree's at the same time, you may be keeping the root ball too moist for the Yews liking, I would suggest only water the Yew when the soil seems to be drying out (not too dry of course), I have several Yews, and keep them together (this does not include the Podocarpus, the southern Yew, that likes a lot of water).

I dunno what the cause of death might have been, but I sincerely doubt that O³ (there doesn't seem to be a subscript) could be the cause.

The National Geographic study undoubtedly was conducted under forest conditions. A bonsai would emit such miniscule amounts that no ill effects could be caused by them.