The Year of the Oaks

[Native Hunter]

Over the last few years, you guys have seen me post a lot about persimmons, apples, pears and chestnuts. I still love all those trees, but this year I’m turning my attention to the oak trees that I set out 15-17 years ago.

The original planting was done in 2004, but we had a severe drought that year, and I did replacements over the next two years on trees that died. So in the spring of 2021, these trees will range from 15 to 17 years in the ground. The area planted is flat upland loam with good moisture but not swampy.

I set around 12 acres in trees. The rows were planted 13 feet apart to facilitate mowing for the first few years and the trees were set 7 feet apart within each row. This is too close, but some will die, and you can always thin later if necessary.

I was told that these trees came from MDC, but I’m really unsure about that. I bought them second hand from a guy who was doing a lot of CRP plantings, and he dealt with several different tree vendors. What I’ve found is that I ended up with several more varieties than I was supposed to have, which I feel is a good thing because it makes the planting more diverse. All oaks don’t bloom at the same time, and the more species you have, the better chance in any given year of getting acorns if a late spring freeze hits.

Up to this point, I have paid very little attention to these trees other than cutting and stump treating volunteer competition that popped up. This has mainly been sweet gums, but I have also cut some other species.

This thread is to provide identification keys and information about several different oaks that I found in the planting. We will look at pictures and have discussions about the different species. I hope to post a different oak every week or two weeks for us to discuss. I encourage everyone interested to participate in the discussions and share your information.

Below is a list of Oaks I have already identified in the planting, and we might find some more species as I look closer this year:

White Oak - Quercus alba
Swamp White Oak - Quercus bicolor
Swamp Chestnut Oak - Quercus michauxii
Chinkapin Oak - Quercus muehlenbergii
Post Oak - Quercus stellata
Bur Oak - Quercus macrocarpa
Overcup Oak - Quercus lyrata
Cherry Bark Oak - Quercus pagoda
Northern Red Oak - Quercus rubra
Pin Oak - Quercus palustris
Black Oak - Quercus velutina
Sawtooth Oak – Quercus acutissima (added a few years later)

I’m going to start this thread by identifying and providing information on an oak that I’m very happy to see doing well. Below you will see Swamp Chestnut Oak - Quercus michauxii. I recall setting these as replacement trees two years after the initial planting, so they have been growing 15 years. I haven’t counted them, but I know that there are well over 60 or more thriving in the planting.

Facts about this oak:

· A member of the white oak family.

· Highly prized whitetail acorn of a large size with low tannin. Some reports say that humans can eat them without leaching.

· Bottomland species but growing well on my damp upland site. I estimate most trees are 30+ feet tall after 15 years.

· Leaves resemble regular Chestnut Oak, but bark is very different. Acorns and caps also look very different.

· I know that I have been getting acorns, because I’ve found some young seedlings nearby. That made me happy.

Some pics of leaves, bark and form:

That’s it for now. I will post another oak in a few days and feel free to ask questions or make comment in the meantime.

 

[crowskee]

With the exception on the sawtooth are any of the other oaks producing acorns yet?

 

[Native Hunter]

With the exception on the sawtooth are any of the other oaks producing acorns yet?

Yes, I know that the Swamp Chestnut Oaks are, because I saw seedlings today when working in them. I also remember seeing some Chinkapin Oak Acorns on some trees at the edge of the planting. Up to this point, I haven't been watching them closely. Also, I avoid that area during the fall, because it is a sanctuary area. However, this year I plan on venturing out a little bit more and at least looking more around the edge.

Also, I see oak seedlings under a white pine across the road from my planting that the squirrels have planted, and my trees are the only oaks nearby.

 

[crowskee]

That's awesome. I had always been told its takes like 40 years for an oak tree to start producing.

 

[Native Hunter]

That's awesome. I had always been told its takes like 40 years for an oak tree to start producing.

That is when most would become strong producers, but lighter production can start earlier.

 

[Ruffdude]

The Bur oaks should be producing fruit by now yes?
We put a couple "orchards" of bur oaks in 7 years ago and this past Fall they produced acorns for the first time. These trees were 5 gallon potted pretty well established trees when transplanted 7 years ago.

 

[Native Hunter]

The Bur oaks should be producing fruit by now yes?
We put a couple "orchards" of bur oaks in 7 years ago and this past Fall they produced acorns for the first time. These trees were 5 gallon potted pretty well established trees when transplanted 7 years ago. View attachment 33945

Yes, they should be making acorns by now. I have a nice one near the edge of the planting that I noticed recently. This fall I will check that one for sure. It looks to be maybe 30 feet tall and growing near some white pines.

 

[Native Hunter]

I forgot to post these earlier, but here are a couple of the tiny Swamp Chestnut Oak seedlings that I found yesterday when working in the planting. This tells me that we have had acorns at some time in the past.

 

[Mozark]

Native,
Where they potted or bare root when planted?

 

[Native Hunter]

Native,
Where they potted or bare root when planted?

Bare root with nice feeder roots. Height was probably 14 to 18 inches.

 

[Lucky_P]

That '40 years to acorn production' is commonly quoted, with no verification or attribution... suspect it may have been based, at some point. on 'forestry' data - and may be reasonable, if you're talking about a seedling coming up in a mature hardwood forest... but sure hasn't held true for open-grown oaks I've planted over the past 30 years. Mostly bur oak and bur oak hybrids, but some SWO and SWO hybrids. Most are into more than 'light bearing' by 10 years following transplanting as a 2-yr old seedling. Bur oaks often producing good crops of acorns here, by 8... and that's without fertilization... just growing in decent soil.

The AL State Champion Swamp Chestnut Oak, when I was a kid, was growing in the Saugahatchee Creek swamp on our family farm in Lee Co, just outside of Auburn; Forestry professors from the University used to bring students out to see it. Last time I was on the place (sold in 2005), I could no longer find it... don't know if it had died, or I just couldn't remember where it was, as things had grown up so badly(privet!!!) after they sold off the cows ten years earlier.

 

[bwoods11]

That’s impressive! I like to see planted oaks! Nice mix

 

[Troubles Trees]

Good stuff Native! Always enjoy your posts and your knowledge bud

 

[Native Hunter]

Thanks guys. I wanted to do this thread to force myself to research oaks more than I have in the past. I hope you continue to enjoy it.

I've located a spot where is could cut just a couple of less valuable trees and see into a nice grove of swamp chestnut oaks from my main blind. That's a project coming up for sure.

 

[Native Hunter]

I want to add the USDA link for Swamp Chestnut Oak in case anyone needs more information that I have given:

SWAMP CHESTNUT OAK (usda.gov)

 

[Native Hunter]

Swamp Chestnut Oak has grown taller for me than any of the others in the White Oak Family. However, Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata) has grown bigger at the base, and at places where it was able to spread out, it has grown wider.

The picture below is going to shock some of you, but this is a 17 year old Q lyrata that I found in the planting recently. The bar on that chainsaw is a 16 inch bar. This is the biggest one I have found, but many others are not far behind it. Stay tuned and we will talk about this one next in a few days.

 

[Tree Spud]

Swamp Chestnut Oak has grown taller for me than any of the others in the White Oak Family. However, Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata) has grown bigger at the base, and at places where it was able to spread out, it has grown wider.

The picture below is going to shock some of you, but this is a 17 year old Q lyrata that I found in the planting recently. The bar on that chainsaw is a 16 inch bar. This is the biggest one I have found, but many others are not far behind it. Stay tuned and we will talk about this one next in a few days.

I hate seeing a chainsaw near a great looking oak like that ... you must have some great soils & growing conditions for an oak to reach that size in that time.

 

[Knehrke]

That is some unreal growth! I really appreciate the diversity in your plantings, and I look forward to seeing your pictures and descriptions. You always do a fantastic job providing information/content. I'd also enjoy hearing your thoughts on any species that were more problematic or that didn't do as well in your conditions. Unfortunately, some of the species you have planted won't work in NY, but many will - I'm five to seven years into it, and our growing season is shorter, but pin, burr, english, swamp white and northern red have done well. The jury is still out on sawtooth; they are growing at least, but I suspect nut production may be minimal.

 

[Native Hunter]

I hate seeing a chainsaw near a great looking oak like that ... you must have some great soils & growing conditions for an oak to reach that size in that time.

Thanks Tree Spud. This land is about perfect for growing oak but quite a bit less than perfect for farming. It is a little on the wet side, but not swampy, and it has acidic soils which most of the oaks love. Chestnut also love it out at the driest areas.

 

[Native Hunter]

That is some unreal growth! I really appreciate the diversity in your plantings, and I look forward to seeing your pictures and descriptions. You always do a fantastic job providing information/content. I'd also enjoy hearing your thoughts on any species that were more problematic or that didn't do as well in your conditions. Unfortunately, some of the species you have planted won't work in NY, but many will - I'm five to seven years into it, and our growing season is shorter, but pin, burr, english, swamp white and northern red have done well. The jury is still out on sawtooth; they are growing at least, but I suspect nut production may be minimal.

Thank you Knehrke. I hope you continue to enjoy this thread, and I plan on giving a lot of details on each species. I got a little excited today when I found a Swamp Chestnut seedling about 6 foot tall that had come from one of the trees I planted. What really excited me was that the little tree still had a crusted over flower on it that had frozen in our late freeze last spring. So, not only are the trees I planted producing acorns, I am also seeing some of their offspring attempting to produce acorns as well.