Favorite tree varieties

[westonwhitetail]

I'm going to be starting a few variety of trees from seed this winter and there seems to be many options. I'm hoping to keep it between 3-4 different types but its hard to choose. I've grown chinese chestnuts and a hybrid wildlife chestnut in the past with good success. I'm looking for opinions on kinds of chestnuts, oaks, hazelnuts, and other nut producing trees. If you had to choose 3 to start with what would you grow first?

 

[wiscwhip]

Hands down...Schuette's Oak(SWO/Bur hybrid)! Best advice I can give, if your growing them in the north, find a northern seed/seedling supplier, same if growing them in more southern areas. Prime example, I wouldn't be using trees from The Wildlife Group(based in Tuskegee, AL) if I expected them to thrive in northern WI.

 

[bwoods11]

Hands down...Schuette's Oak(SWO/Bur hybrid)! Best advice I can give, if your growing them in the north, find a northern seed/seedling supplier, same if growing them in more southern areas. Prime example, I wouldn't be using trees from The Wildlife Group(based in Tuskegee, AL) if I expected them to thrive in northern WI.

I second that, best oak... nut tree I have ever planted.

 

[rocksnstumps]

^^^great choice. Straight burrs put out acorns in less than 10 yrs many times and hybrids should be even quicker. Question, any oak wilt concerns in your area to consider? The whites are usually better than reds in oak family in regards to wilt. If not would be tempted to try at least some combo of whites and reds for diversity.

For advice on hazelnuts, ask me again in 5 yrs. Just put a bunch of hybrids in this year and time will tell. Got em from someplace in SW WI

 

[g squared 23]

You guys have a northern source you recommend for schuette's oak?


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[scott44]

You guys have a northern source you recommend for schuette's oak?


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Not sure how far north you want, I planted 25 from Kelly tree farm last year. Trees looked real good and seem to be doing well, Ill tell you in 4-5yrs how the deer like them.

http://kellytreefarm.com/

 

[g squared 23]

You guys have a northern source you recommend for schuette's oak?


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Not sure how far north you want, I planted 25 from Kelly tree farm last year. Trees looked real good and seem to be doing well, Ill tell you in 4-5yrs how the deer like them.

http://kellytreefarm.com/

I guess by "northern" I really meant "not southern" or even "midwestern". Thanks, will look them up.


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[westonwhitetail]

Hands down...Schuette's Oak(SWO/Bur hybrid)! Best advice I can give, if your growing them in the north, find a northern seed/seedling supplier, same if growing them in more southern areas. Prime example, I wouldn't be using trees from The Wildlife Group(based in Tuskegee, AL) if I expected them to thrive in northern WI.

Thanks, haven’t heard of it. I’ll check to see if I can find a seed/acorn source. What are the advantages over a regular SWO?


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[westonwhitetail]

You guys have a northern source you recommend for schuette's oak?


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Not sure how far north you want, I planted 25 from Kelly tree farm last year. Trees looked real good and seem to be doing well, Ill tell you in 4-5yrs how the deer like them.

http://kellytreefarm.com/

What size trees did you plant? Will they produce acorns in 4-5 years?


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[westonwhitetail]

^^^great choice. Straight burrs put out acorns in less than 10 yrs many times and hybrids should be even quicker. Question, any oak wilt concerns in your area to consider? The whites are usually better than reds in oak family in regards to wilt. If not would be tempted to try at least some combo of whites and reds for diversity.

For advice on hazelnuts, ask me again in 5 yrs. Just put a bunch of hybrids in this year and time will tell. Got em from someplace in SW WI

In my area, I do not know of any oak wilt. My father in law lives about an hour east and is loosing some oaks but not sure if it’s oak wilt or what? But thanks I was wanting a wide variety to experiment and see what takes best, then in future plantings I can focus on the better ones


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[wiscwhip]

It is a hybrid, so it takes on some of the characteristics of both parents and seems to have a faster growth rate. It has been known to produce acorn crops in as little as 6 to 8 years under good conditions and given it is a white oak, they are preferred over red oak species.

We no longer own the property we planted them on and we only planted 6 trees, they were just starting to get a few acorns after the 8th year, but we were on some pretty terrible sandy, droughty soil with low pH, so that was likely a factor. That said, the county where I live planted a few large root ball trees(15'+ tall and 5"+ dbh) in a county park near our home and within 2 years of transplanting, those were throwing a decent crop of acorns. I have treid to get some acorns from them for the last 3 years but somebody or some critter is beating me to them since I don't get out there regularly anymore...

 

[homerj]

In my area, I do not know of any oak wilt. My father in law lives about an hour east and is loosing some oaks but not sure if it’s oak wilt or what? But thanks I was wanting a wide variety to experiment and see what takes best, then in future plantings I can focus on the better ones


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https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/foresthealth/documents/OakWiltDist.pdf

 

[scott44]

What size trees did you plant? Will they produce acorns in 4-5 years?


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I can't remember for sure which ones I planted either the 2-3' or the 3-4' trees. I'm hoping they produce in 4-5 years but not sure.

 

[bwoods11]

I have some swamp bur oak hybrids (from Kelly Tree Farm) in Iowa. A few are dropping acorns after 5 years in MN.
The babied ones did much better.

Are they way better than a SWO, probably not, but nice to have a variety.

 

[cavey]

There are pockets of oak wilt in Dunn co.

 

[j-bird]

I plant varieties I don't have simply to add to the diversity. I have lots of burr, chinkapin and northern red oak.....so mother nature takes care of those. I am trying to grow Swamp white oak, white oak and maybe even some chestnut and sawtooth oaks. I also have panted dunstan chestnut and various apples and crab apples as well and persimmons. Diversity is the name of the game as long as the trees you are after are suited for the area intended.

 

[westonwhitetail]

Well I guess I have oak wilt around then, but the oak trees on my hunting land seem to be healthy. Thanks guys I think I'm going to try to find a seed source for the Schuette's Oak and give it a try.

 

[scott44]

Well I guess I have oak wilt around then, but the oak trees on my hunting land seem to be healthy. Thanks guys I think I'm going to try to find a seed source for the Schuette's Oak and give it a try.

Good luck!

 

[H20fwler]

I'm a big hazelnut fan and have had great luck with them here. I have only planted American hazelnuts, for me they have been pretty quick to start making nuts 3-4 years and the deer don't bother the trees much. The nuts must get picked up by wildlife within minutes I never see them on the ground.
Second favorite nut producer would be pin oak, grows and produces fairly fast...both hazel and pin oaks are zero maintenance for me. I didn't originally have any hazelnuts on the farms but did have pin oaks along with all our other local native oaks in the woods. My shrub strip additions of both of them I purchased from Cold Stream Farm out of MI.

Chinese chestnuts would be my third favorite in my top three nut trees to plant.

 

[Tickrancher]

I have been planting chinkapin oaks at the Tickranch. They are highly preferred, right at the top of the list. Okay, so tied with swamp white oak. The advantage for the chinkapins is that they will start making acorns at a younger age. Also turkeys like the small size of the acorn. If we are including shrubs, you should consider black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa). I have some on high ground and some low and as long as you have full sun they will do well. Deer love them so they need some protection for a couple of years. They are a two season plant as deer eat the leaves in the spring and the berries in the fall. Another good one that is under appreciated is nanny berry. My avatar photo is of nanny berry. You might have some growing naturally in Wisconsin. If you find one while out this fall give it some love. It is worth planting if you don't have any.