GARDEN TALK

Majestic Oak Trees

As the leaves begin to change colors and drop this fall, one might be drawn to the beauty and strength of an oak tree. Being they are one of our most numerous kinds of trees, people could notice oak trees in yards, along streets, at businesses, churches, in parks and in our diverse forests. Looking up at the trees, the majesty of the grand old oaks is indeed hard to describe. Looking at the ground, it is even amazing to imagine that treasured oaks come from tiny acorns.

When homeowners decide to plant trees around the home landscape, typically, only a few popular choices come into consideration, such as dogwood, maple, cherry or crape myrtle; however, oaks are seldom thought of as trees that could be added around the home because they don’t flower vividly, or they tend to grow much too slowly. The truth is that oak trees have a place in the home landscape and can become

an excellent addition to the home. Surprisingly, approximately 90 species of oak trees are found in North America, with Alabama being home to about 40 of those. There are GARDEN basically two types of oak trees within the genus Quercus: the red oak and the white TALK oak. These two types differ in both leaf shape and acorn maturity. White oak trees produce mature acorns in one growing season, whereas red oak tree acorns mature in two growing seasons. Many oak tree species are native to East Central Alabama. This list includes southern red oak, white oak, post oak, blackjack oak, scarlet oak, water oak, northern red oak and chestnut oak. Many of the mature ones occurred naturally and have been living for quite a while. The best Seasons Change way to have an oak tree near your home is Previous Page: Our native Southern red oaks become more impressive with age; Below Left: White oaks to preserve existing ones because replacing one of grand size is impossible. Some locations don’t have any oak trees that grow there, or they have been removed, Shane Harris are highly valued for fallen or died at some point in the past. Oaks then their beauty, size and must be replanted for our enjoyment; however, the acorns; Below Right: disadvantage to replanting an oak is that it takes Willow oak trees are generations to become massive in size and reach a often planted as urban landscape trees. grand level of majesty and value.

On the contrary, most people do not realize that it does not take forever for oaks to put on a significant amount of growth as once perceived.

If you want to add an oak tree to your yard, finding a native oak for purchase can be challenging. They don’t rank high as valued, ornamental plants since they tend to grow very slowly compared to other options; however, there are popular landscape oaks that do well in our area and are likely available at select plant nurseries: n Overcup Oak ranks very high on the list as one of the top landscape trees and appears to be one of the best oaks. It is relatively fastgrowing and averages 2.2 feet per year, has a beautiful round-headed canopy with a very uniform growth habit and is easy to transplant. It tolerates low and moist sites, high and dry sites and even the compacted soil found in urban areas. In addition, overcup oaks yellow in the fall and tend to drop all their leaves simultaneously, thus making it much easier to rake. n White Oak, a reputedly slow-growing species, is considered very long-lived, has good fall color and excellent bark characteristics. Recent research revealed that it could grow faster than believed, at about 1.9 feet per year. The lobed leaves with rounded tips turn russet to rich red wine in the fall, typically holding their color for several weeks. This particular species is often considered and planted for wildlife as well as a legacy tree. n Chestnut Oak is one that you rarely find in the home landscape. Native to Alabama’s upper slopes and hills and the Northeastern United States, chestnut oaks are most noted and remembered for their big chestnut leaves and large colorful acorns. The big leaves give it a coarse texture, which may be desired in certain landscape situations. It transplants easily, has yellow fall color and has a fast growth rate of about 2.7 feet per year. This long-lived tree is gaining popularity and is being used more in landscape settings. n Willow Oak, another native oak, is an outstanding landscape tree. Willow oaks are used most often as shade trees in landscapes and as street trees in urban areas because they tolerates various living conditions,

transplant well and grows fast. On average, they grow about 2.7 feet per year. The lance-shaped leaves turn yellow to golden brown in the fall, offering up beautiful fall foliage. n Shumard Oak is native to the United States but not to Alabama. This tree is becoming more popular in the landscape since it is very adaptable to dry or moist, acid or alkaline sites. It transplants well, is fast growing at about 2.9 feet per year and develops a nice crown even as a young tree. The leaves, which are typical of most red oaks, are dark, lustrous green and turn orange-red in the fall. Shumard oaks are good landscape trees and are one of the best performing oaks. n Nuttall Oak is a generalpurpose landscape tree to consider since it is one of the most well-adapted oaks. Native to the Southeast and Midwest, this oak reportedly grows fast, approximately 2 feet per year as a young tree. Since it tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, both poor and good, Nuttall oaks are being used more and more as street shade trees. Nuttall also boasts great fall color – bright red. The ideal planting season for trees begins in October and continues until early Cool Enough spring. Early fall planting is Top to Bottom: White oaks have rounded lobes and most desirable. Roots grow large acorns; Red oaks have pointed lobes and small during the fall and winter acorns. months, enabling them to become established before warm weather and spring growth. When planting an oak tree, carefully consider your planting site and long-term landscape plan. Pick a sunny spot that will give the young oak tree plenty of space to grow and mature. Most importantly, it needs room to spread its roots and branches; it will want to be the dominant tree in the woods or yard. Allow it to be the focal point of the yard so one day it will be crowned as a mighty and majestic oak. For help on other home and garden questions, contact your local county Extension office or visit us online at www.aces.edu. ~Shane Harris is the County Extension Coordinator for Tallapoosa County.