So I went to Robert’s Idaho.

[Angus 1895]

The trees ( white oak) that last year were full of acorns, this year nuthin!

A smaller tree that had few, also had a few.

Is it common with white oak? Every other year?

Are they like women and all cycle the same in the same environment?

 

[rocksnstumps]

Not even every other year sometimes. Could be several yrs between crops or sometimes several decent yrs in a row. Just not as regular as things like apple trees which can usually count on every yr or every other yr

 

[b116757]

Depends on the particular tree in many cases some are just much better annual bearing than others it seems like.

 

[Kdog]

I would say that it has more to do with the weather conditions during pollination. If we have a lot of rain during the pollination period, we have less acorns than we do when it is dry. Wind is the pollen carrier and rain limits that.

That said, there are some that I have noticed that were every other year, but it wasn't every white oak in that area.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

We see that irregular acorn production here in our oaks - both red & white. Don't know the reason(s).

 

[Teeder]

It seems very common. That said there are 2 local whites that I've never seen fail to produce every single year. Interestingly, both trees are completely separated from other whites, and I mean by miles.

 

[The Fishman]

Oaks have adapted to not produce the same amount of acorns each year. If oaks produced the same amount of acorns each year, acorn predators (mainly rodents) would be able to have stable populations that ate all of the acorns each year. The boom and bust cycle impacts rodent populations which increase after mast years but decrease in off years. Oaks are then able to overwhelm predators in mast years ensuring that some acorns germinate and grow new seedlings. As already stated, even what should be a good year can be a bust year if rain or freezes interfere with pollination.