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Home , Arctostaphylos pungens, Mogollon Rim, Quercus alba, Quercus coccifera, Quercus gambelii, Quercus robur

News & Notes The Newsletter of the International Oak Society, Volume 18, No. 1, 2014

The Mogollon Rim forms a floristic boundary between the Oak Creek , colder Rocky Mountain flora, flora and the warmer Madrean oak woodlands and floras. ak Creek Canyon is an extensive drainage basin on encompasses many of these different O the southern edge of the Plateau in North types of terrestrial ecosystems, which occur in different Central Arizona. The canyon is located at the geological locations depending on the slope, exposure, elevation, and fault between the Basin and Range Province and the Colo- type. Precipitation in the canyon is significantly higher rado Plateau. The fault forms an extensive area of high- than in the surrounding region, leading to a greater diversi- lands known as the Mogollon Rim, and many large creeks ty of habitat types. drain the area. Oak Creek Canyon, in the Coconino Nation- al Forest, is one of the Starting at the Sedona area most beautiful of these and travelling north, visi- creeks, and it is home to tors to the lower canyon many different of mouth first encounter areas and of desert and . patches of Great Basin pin- yon- woodlands. The mouth of Oak Creek The desert is Canyon starts near the characterized by summer red rocks of Sedona, and bunchgrasses and ocotillo the canyon extends (Fouquieria splendens northward, narrowing as Engelm.), with scattered it goes. It cuts through oaks and where the different strata of the the grasslands mix with , reveal- and pinyon- ing first the beautiful red juniper woodlands. Soil of the Sedona type and slope are key fac- area at the mouth and tors for good grass stand then white sandstones development in this area. farther north in the can- Juniper woodlands are also yon. The rim of the can- View of Oak Creek Canyon from a lookout point. Photo: Ryan Russell common at lower and mid- yon is made of black bas- dle elevations in the Oak Creek area. Dominant species are alt. The stream that cuts down through the canyon is scat- Juniperus mixed with Greene and, at tered with large boulders of these various rock types, which higher elevations, shrubby Q. gambelii Nutt. Steeper have been washed downstream in the periodic flash floods slopes near the canyon mouth are covered with thick interi- that occur during the monsoon and heavy winter . Oak or chaparral. near the canyon mouth generally range Creek originates from a number of tributary springs that from 5 to 30 ft/1.5 to 9 m tall. come down from the headwaters of the many side that join Oak Creek, including West Fork canyon. Oak North of the mouth the canyon narrows, and the terrain be- Creek Canyon drains the Colorado Plateau from north to comes dense interior chaparral and Madrean oak woodland. south, while the side canyons enter from the east and west. Interior chaparral is a -dominated ecosystem made up The tributary springs well up at the transition between the of many species adapted to drought and fire. Oaks in this white strata and the more impermeable basalt area are evergreen, not deciduous. The most important layer. component of interior chaparral is Q. turbinella, which Oak News & Notes brid swarms in intermediate on lower north and east slopes, along habitats. Q. emoryi is a large with of snowberries to small common in mid- (Symphoricarpos longiflorus A. Gray). dle elevation areas. Q. emoryi attains its greatest size on the Oak Creek itself and its contributing banks of Oak Creek next to springs are lined with rich riparian de- giant Q. arizonica. ciduous forest. Many of the riparian trees reach 50 ft/15 m or taller, and Cool north slopes at the mid- some may grow as tall as 90 ft/27 m. dle elevations of the canyon Arizona ( bear forests of ponderosa S. Watson), a large tree with striking and Gambel oak that resem- white , is the most prominent ri- ble those found in the Rocky parian inhabitant of the lower and mid- Mountains. This forest also dle reaches of the canyon. Arizona dominates higher elevation walnut (Juglans major (Torr.) A. Hel- Meeting of two species: and Q. turbinella. south slopes and the forested ler), oak (Q. arizonica), ash (Fraxinus Photo: Ryan Russell Colorado Plateau above the velutina Torr.), and (Alnus oblon- forms extensive stands in Central Ari- canyon. Important species are Pinus gifolia Torr.) mix with the sycamore. zona. Turbinella oak is often a shrub (5 ponderosa Douglas ex C. Lawson, Q. In the cool, moist side canyons, many x 5 ft/1.5 x 1.5 m), but can be a small gambelii, Juniperus spp., and Q. turbi- moisture-loving trees like maples, cot- tree up to 15 ft/4.6 m tall. It has small nella. Ponderosa pine, the most com- tonwoods, and willows occur. Narrow- thick leathery with an extensive mon and important tree of this habitat, cottonwood (Populus angustifolia underground system to E. James) is common in the gather moisture. Bearberry upper reaches of the canyon, ( pungens and Fremont cottonwood Kunth), a large shrub with (Populus fremontii S. Watson) bright red bark and small, in lower elevations. Willow pointy, glossy leaves, domi- species grow throughout the nates higher-elevation south canyon. Maples such as ash- slopes and forms pure stands in leaf (Acer negundo L.), the Oak Creek area. Rhus ovata bigtooth ( S. Watson, known locally as Nutt.), and Rocky Mountain Sugarberry, is a shrub with (Acer glabrum Torr.) are gen- large oblong leaves found in erally found along Oak Creek, lower elevation chaparral. Q. near springs, and on north palmeri Engelm. is a large slopes. A rare species, Knowl- shrub oak that is abundant in ton hophornbeam (Ostrya the Oak Creek area. Palmer oak knowltonii Coville), grows near often hybridizes with Q. the confluence of the west fork chrysolepis Liebm. in middle of Oak Creek. This species oc- elevations of the canyon. curs in small colonies through- Madrean oak woodlands are at out the Western United States, their northern limit on the Gambel oak along one of the streams running through the Canyon. but is never a common species. Mogollon Rim and are mostly Photo: Darin Jenke Grasses are quite common even composed of several evergreen in the riparian and woodland oak species, specifically Q. emoryi grows very large, often over 100 ft/30 areas, and the transitions between habi- Torr., Q. grisea Liebm., and Q. arizon- m tall. Rocky Mountain juniper tats may be gradual. A number of ica Sarg. Q. grisea is often found (Juniperus scopulorum Sarg.) is found nonnative trees also grow along the mixed with junipers, and turbinella oak along the canyon rim and scattered in creek. Early homesteaders planted or- grows on dry south slopes. Q. grisea is middle elevations of the canyon. For- chards of apples, plums, apricots, often a small tree or shrub and hybrid- ests of white fir and Douglas fir (Abies peaches, pears, and pecans. Many of izes with turbinella oak. Q. arizonica concolor Lindl. and Pseudotsuga men- the orchards survive and have spread is a large tree that grows on north ziesii (Mirb.) Franco) sprout at the across the canyon. Apples have recruit- slopes and in riparian areas. It often higher elevations of the canyon, partic- ed and are found along Oak Creek. hybridizes with Q. grisea, forming hy- ularly at the head of the canyon, and Peaches and apricots have less success 2 Oak News & Notes the hot summers. The creek tains become tipped with snow. The is a beautiful, gentle stream canyon is cold in the winter, but it's that descends gradually worth a visit year round. through the canyon, form- ing still little pools inter- Darin Jenke and Stephanie rupted by occasional Bittner stretches of rippling water. It isn't the place to visit if Species Spotlight you're looking for rapids, but it's a peaceful place for An endangered oak: a walk and hosts a healthy Quercus austro- fishing community, who come to catch introduced cochinchinensis rainbow trout from its cold waters. The trout species uercus austrocochinchinensis Knowlton hophornbeam. Photo: Darin Jenke native to Oak Creek Can- Q Hickel & A. Camus is a Critically in reproducing, but scattered trees are yon, the gila trout unfortunately was Endangered species. It has a scattered found in the area. long ago extirpated. Other native spe- distribution in ravines of Hainan and cies survive, including desert sucker southwest Yunnan provinces of China Oak Creek Canyon suffered a couple and a variety of chubs, and they feed and northern Indo-China and is one of of severe in 2006. The fires on the abundant arthropods that thrive the dominant tree species in these re- burnt the chaparral and ponderosa in the creek, including crayfish, may- gions. Based on herbarium records, it on the west side of the canyon. flies, dragonflies, and aquatic . was once the dominant tree of the sea- Though the fire benefited the chaparral sonal tropical forest of these regions, habitat, traces of those fires can be The canyon varies seasonally in ap- but due to the development of the seen today in the dead ponderosa and pearance. In the spring, the mouth of economy and agriculture, its habitats the canyon has abundant have been taken over by rubber tree wildflowers. The forests open and banana farms. As a result of this, their during the mon- the populations of Q. austro- soon summer. The monsoon cochinchinensis have decreased dra- can cause huge thun- derstorms that spark wildfires and cause flash floods, but these storms are also very beautiful. After a big storm, the normally sunny and dry canyon becomes cool, cloudy, and misty. In the au- tumn, the deciduous trees turn lovely col- ors, and some species are still in bloom, particularly Asteraceae. The ma- Quercus austrocochinchinensis . Photo: Min Deng ples become vibrant Arizona sycamore bark detail. Photo: Ryan Russell red and orange, and the cot- matically and currently this species can burnt logs that still cover the region. tonwood and willows go bright yellow, only be found in nature reserves. It was However, Oak Creek Canyon remains with orange and red at the edges. The included in the book China Species a popular spot for recreation and nature one deciduous oak in the canyon, Red List. walks. It also contains Slide Rock Gambel oak, turns a muted red. The State Park, where slippery red sand- sycamores become a russet brown, but Q. austrocochinchinensis was placed stone has formed natural waterslides they keep their leaves for most of the in section Helferiana by Menitsky, that are very popular with locals during winter. In the winter, the higher moun- while Camus grouped it under subdivi-

3 Oak News & Notes sion Breviglans, which is characterized duce another young shoot and may do Benoit about propagating oaks by by flat acorns. The trees can grow to so several times, but without enough grafting. This propagation technique 50 m/164 ft tall. The leaves are has been criticized by many in recent years, actually ever since wild- oblong-elliptic to lanceolate, 10- collected have become the 20 x 3-5 cm/ 4-8 x 1-2 in, and craze. Yet, there are many excellent slightly leathery with a sharply reasons to graft oaks. toothed margin. They are yellow to brown and covered by dense The first reason (for the ‘serious’ oak fasciculate hairs when young, be- collector) is when you find an oak in the wild that you would like to collect coming glabrous when mature. Radicle emergence from cup scar. Photo: Min Deng and there are no acorns. That is what The cupule can be likened to a Chinese Dirk did in Mexico in 2009 when we saw Quercus urbanii Trel. in its natu- chess piece, covering most of the nut humidity, the shoot dies quickly. The ral habitat. except for the top and is usually cov- young seedlings grow fast in a humid ered in dense, short gray hairs. greenhouse and a one-year-old - Further, with natural hybridization, one ling can reach a height of 0.8 m/2.6 ft. can never be sure that trees grown The has a flat top with 4-5 They produce abundant lateral branch- from acorns will result in a specimen styles. It is typically recalcitrant es. We were able to asexually propa- typical of the species collected. (cannot be stored for long periods) and gate some seedlings via micropropaga- will germinate as soon as it is ripe. In tion and cuttings by using these young Other reasons were cited and dis- some extreme cases, it will even ger- lateral shoots. Hopefully, by continu- cussed. Rootstock choice might im- minate while still on the branch. ing this work in the future we can con- prove the adaptability of an otherwise Acorns can germinate in 1 month when serve, propagate and reintroduce this tender species or allow planting in un- stored at 4 °C/39 °F in a refrigerator. endangered oak. favorable soil conditions. is unusual in that the radi- There are simple horticultural reasons cle emerges from the seed scar instead Qian-sheng Li and Min Deng for grafting oaks, such as selections of the style base. Oak Open Day – for: Belgium: Clonal Propa- gation of Oaks n Sunday, September 22, 2013 O about 30 oak enthusiasts gathered at Pavia Nurseries in Deerlijk, Belgium for an Oak Open Day that was to be devoted to clonal propagation of oaks. Our hosts were Dirk and Katrien Be- noit-Vercruysse, owners of the nurse- ry. Dirk was a member of the Board of the IOS until 2012 and is a longtime member of the Society. We had a diverse group of attendees New flush of growth showing orange-colored tomen- coming from six different countries of Young Quercus robur ‘Concordia’ graft. tum. Photo: Min Deng Photo: Charles Snyers the European Union: , , Despite the fact that acorns germinate , Luxemburg, the Netherlands, and Habit - Q. robur L. Fastigiata Group readily, successful seedling establish- of course Belgium. Quite a few were comes more or less true from seed, but ment is very difficult. We have never nurserymen or garden designers. All try seedlings of this oak in street - found any young seedlings in the field. were oak enthusiasts. ings: a disappointment. In some cases, Conditions of high humidity are essen- uniformity is needed. tial for germinated to grow into Grafting: extending the plantsman’s palette seedlings. In drier air, the emerged Leaf Color - the old Belgian , young shoot will dry out. Sometimes, The morning of our Oak Open Day Q. robur L. ‘Concordia’ was men- the seed will keep struggling to pro- was devoted to a presentation by Dirk tioned and shown in the presentation. 4 Oak News & Notes all the reasons given for grafting oaks: of Q. dentata subsp. yunnanensis A Q. tomentella Engelm. selected for Franch. its improved hardiness, and a Q. ×bebbiana C.K. Schneid. grafted to Pavia has about 160 oaks and oak cul- tivars for sale, but many more in its preserve the character of the F1 hybrid. collection of “mother plants.” In front of (and around) the green- house, we saw Q. ‘Chimney I met Dirk for the first time during a Fire’ (autumn color and habit), a seed- trip in the Fall of 1997 in New Eng- ling of the Riverbank Lodge Q. ×warei land. I had never visited his nursery in T. L. Green & W. Belgium until this 22nd of September, J. Hess in Peters- burg, IL selected by Guy Stern- Dirk Benoit leading a tour. Photo: Charles Snyers berg, Q. × bimun- dorum E. J. Autumn Color - Q. coccinea Münchh. Palmer ‘Splendens’ was selected in for ‘Crimschmidt’ an its autumn colors because that species excellent colum- does not color well in Western Europe nar selection of contrary to its usual performance in its Q. alba L. × Q. natural range. robur L. Fastigi- ata Group, and Finally, we discussed the propagation another hybrid of F1 hybrids, natural hybrids in many named Q. cases, or trees used for mast produc- ×schuettei Trel., tion. a hybrid between Q. bicolor Willd. Pavia OOD attendees. Photo: Charles Snyers The morning was concluded by a quick and Q. macrocarpa Michx., which visit to the greenhouse where the strangely has some similarities with Q. 2013. For some reason, it was never “Master” demonstrated his grafting pyrenaica Willd. the right time. I am glad I did now. skills. Dirk also showed us his hot-pipe This is a great place to find interesting callusing unit. Pavia produces 20,000 We then had lunch in the garden of our oaks and Dirk is a great and keen grafted oaks annually. hosts. Some had brought acorns, chest- plantsman. nuts, and samaras and a seed give- Before lunch, we visited another away booth was dressed during lunch. Charles Snyers greenhouse with a wonderful display of a diverse assortment of oaks, all Nursery fields Did you know? grafted. Several selections illustrated After lunch, we were off to the fields. here are more than 15 accounts of We walked through rows of well- oaks in the Jewish Tanakh or the maintained nursery plants. We came T Biblical Old Testament. These trees across this interesting columnar tree, were used as landmarks (Genesis 13, Q. ×bimundorum 'Crimschmidt', that I 14, 18, and Deuteronomy 11) and as a would like to see in the streets of Brus- metaphor for strength and longevity sels. (Amos 2 and Zechariah 11). According The day closed in the nursery with the to Isaiah and Hosea, oaks were also display of young grafted plants. Some used as a place for idolatry (Isaiah 1, 2, stayed late to choose plants to take 57 and Hosea 4) These accounts are home (although not all plants dis- most likely referring to either Quercus played are for sale due to very limited coccifera L. or Quercus coccifera quantities). I know which one I would subsp. calliprinos (Webb) Holmboe. choose if I still had a garden to plant it in and that is a nice velvety specimen View inside Pavia’s greenhouse. Photo: Charles Snyers 5 Oak News & Notes Who have you recruited this year?! streets. Aiken’s is unique in From the Board the fact that it is not a designated par- As we enter the year 2014 planning is cel, but includes all public and private This issue of Oak News & Notes is the th second one produced in-house (thus well underway for the 8 International property, including Hitchcock representing significant savings to our Oak Society Conference (2015), under located in the center of the city. Society) thanks to newsletter Editors, the auspices of the grand old Morton Arboretum, to be chaired by Andrew The eager tourists were greeted with a Ryan Russell and Roderick Cameron, welcome reception on the first evening with help from our very active Editori- Hipp and Kunso Kim (with help from Guy Sternberg, who, though retired in the city’s reconstructed train depot, al Committee. For those of you who which now serves as a visitor center. A have not yet chosen to receive Oak from his lifelong service to the IOS, I am happy to write, is not really!). fine meal was accompanied by rekin- News & Notes electronically – in full dled friendships and bluegrass music. color – you can nonetheless access it And, of course, 2015, a conference The Aiken City Manager welcomed on the website. year, is also one for which we must the visitors to town and presented a There you will also find additional arti- recruit new candidates for the Board, brief history of Aiken. The following cles, more photos, and a more in-depth as well as candidates for our different morning the attendees were divided treatment of some of the subjects pre- committees (for which it is not neces- into two groups and each went to tour sented here. You must register on the sary to be a Board member). Finally, a separate part of the city. you do not have to be a Board or com- website to access Oak News & Notes. One of the mile-long oak collections Registering on the website will also mittee member to contribute to Oak News & Notes and International Oaks, was planted along a median parallel enable you to explore the many other with the train tracks that run through resources available there. If you need or to organize an Oak Open Day or other oak-related event. the heart of Aiken. We stopped at the any assistance to register, our Website Aiken County Agricultural Services Administrator, Charles Snyers, and Béatrice Chassé Center where several rare species of Website Editor, Roderick Cameron, trees and shrubs have been planted would be happy to give you a hand. Oak Open Days – over the years. A subspecies of sugar The Editors of International Oaks and maple (Acer saccharum Oak News & Notes have received a Aiken, South Carolina sbsp.leucoderme Small) was beginning great many laudatory reactions from its showy fall color display and a puta- ak enthusiasts from nine US members concerning the quality of tive hybrid of Quercus rysophylla states and two foreign countries both the content and new presentation O Weath. × canbyi Trel. planted by Bob descended upon the town of Aiken of our publications, remarking often on were among the first trees encountered during the first week of November. It the evident enthusiasm of those indi- here. A beautiful Q. salicina Blume was the site of the Oak Open Days or- viduals responsible for producing with limbs practically lying on the ganized by IOS member, Bob McCart- them. Perhaps it is this enthusiasm that ground met us as we rounded the cor- ney of Woodlanders Inc., a rare plant has in turn prompted membership to ner of the building. Just beyond this nursery. The tours included four sepa- share opinions and reactions? Involve- were two Lithocarpus species (L. edu- rate locations and were guided by Bob ment from the membership is always lis (Makino) Nakai and L. glaber and several oth- welcome and to encourage this the Ed- er experts in the itorial Committee has agreed to create area. The forums on the website for members. Citywide Arbo- If you have received a membership retum was on renewal letter in the last quarter of full display and 2013, I cannot urge you enough to re- featured two new in a timely fashion! Late renewals mile-long (1.6 – sometimes as late as the last quarter km) oak collec- of the following year – represent nu- tions, a longleaf merous time-consuming and often pine preserve, a costly tasks for the volunteers respon- public display sible. Membership is the lifeblood of garden, and a any Society such as ours. It was once rare tree and pointed out to me that if every existing plant collection member recruited only just one other along one of person… the math is not difficult! Aiken’s main Aiken OOD attendees. Photo: Guy Sternberg 6 Oak News & Notes (Thunb.) Nakai) with a few scattered trust and set aside more than 1,100 blooms and a few remaining acorns, ac/445 ha as a place for others to enjoy which were scooped up in a hurry. As as well. Today, Hitchcock Woods has we started on the oak trail along Park grown to more than 2,100 ac/850 ha Avenue, the first oak encountered was and is recognized as an important eco- the incredibly rare Q. boyntonii Bea- system. It is managed as a longleaf dle. This oak is listed as endangered on pine preserve and holds a variety of the IUCN Red List of threatened spe- oak species such as Q. laevis Walter, cies (www.iucnredlist.org). As we con- Q. margaretta (Ashe) Small, Q. incana tinued down Park Avenue, we saw one Bartram, Q. marilandica Münchh., Q. excellent specimen after another. The coccinea Münchh., and Q. nigra L. We second tree we visited was a small, gathered on the edge of the preserve Young longleaf pine. Photo: Ryan Russell nice Q. germana Schltdl. & Cham., and were met by our guides Bennett complete with one acorn. We saw Tucker, Superintendent, and Julie used for annual horse shows and hound many more beautiful species such as Moore, a botanist who has studied the hunts. Q. rysophylla, Q. polymorpha Schltdl. ecology of Hitchcock Woods for dec- & Cham., Q. marilandica var. ashei ades. After standing amongst the tall The second day of tours took us to Sudw., Q. sartorii Liebm., Q. affinis loblolly pines (easily over 100 ft/30 m Colleton Avenue, another mile-long Scheidw., and a very unusual hybrid of tall), we headed up the slope and found collection of rare trees and shrubs Q. nigra L. × myrtifolia Willd. Most of a changing palette of plants as we which is located in a residential area of these specimens had plenty of acorns went. The loblolly pines, pignut hicko- Aiken. Wide medians allow for excel- and they were quickly collected by the ries, black walnuts and water oaks at lent planting areas and this has wisely happy tourists. Another mile-long been taken advantage of. One collection of oaks has been planted unique aspect of this collection is along Beaufort Street, and the ar- the signage that the city installed ray of oak species is just as out- with Bob’s guidance. Designated standing. trees are labeled with genus, spe- cies, and common name along That afternoon included a visit to with a phone number and an exten- Hitchcock Woods, the aforemen- sion code. Visitors can dial (803) tioned longleaf pine (Pinus palus- 295-5008 and the extension of the tris Mill.) preserve located essen- tree they wish and a short message tially in the center of town. This about each tree follows. There are area was owned by a wealthy cou- over 100 trees and shrubs labeled ple in the late 19th to early 20th this way, allowing for self-guided centuries and used as a place to Quercus salicina Blume. Photo: Ryan Russell tours through the collection. We ride their horses and hunt. In 1939, the bottom gave way to oaks, concluded our journey at Hope- the Hitchcock family established a bluejack oaks, and of course longleaf lands Gardens and The Rye Patch pines. A putative hybrid of where we saw many interesting species Q. laevis × marilandica was such as Nyssa biflora Walter and Juni- located along the edge of the perus bermudiana L. along with awe trail about midway up and inspiring live oaks (Q. virginiana had several acorns. Other Mill.). This OOD was concluded by an interesting plants included oak seedling give away sponsored by Carya pallida Engl. & Woodlanders and a small acorn swap. Graebn., Oxydendrum arbo- Attendees scooped up acorns, swapped reum (L.) DC., Persea bor- trees, promised to keep in touch until bonia (L.) Spreng., Kalmia the next time, and everyone headed latifolia L., Magnolia virgin- back home. iana L., and Pinus virgini- A full account of all the tours will be ana Mill. Aiken has been a found in the upcoming issue of Inter- strong equine community for national Oaks and those not present generations and portions of will get a better feeling for just how Hitchcock Woods are still Looking over a Quercus pumila Walter. Photo: Roderick Cameron incredible the City of Aiken and its

7 Oak News & Notes Outcrossing is a well-known phenom- calliprinos (Webb) Holmboe), the cork enon, familiar in agricultural practice oak (Q. suber L.), and the holm oak since antiquity and found later in many (Q. ilex L.) – all characteristic and an- other wind-pollinated arboreal (date cient natives of the Mediterranean re- palms) and -pollinated herba- gion and not native to . But ceous plants (irises). in spite of this fact the tree is heavily loaded with perfectly viable acorns. In nature, for example in Southern Eu- rope, closely related trees often grow b) Contrarily, the Q. pontica in the together in the same or nearly the same Botanical Garden grows in the imme- habitat. If, like in oaks, the reproduc- diate close proximity of a significant tive barriers that isolate the different number of mature trees from different Colleton Avenue Tree Trail plaque. species and maintain their distinctive deciduous European species – but is Photo: Guy Sternberg morphological features are weak, the absolutely barren of any ripe acorns! horticultural treasures are. I would like result is the development of a whole Though it usually flowers, any polli- to thank Bob McCartney and the City series of intergrading forms defined by nated female flowers are aborted and of Aiken for organizing this event and science as a hybrid swarm – the result shed in the course of the summer. extending hospitality to all the at- of a powerful evolutionary process tendees. known as introgression. A recent pub- lication* considers all these aspects in Ryan Russell an experimental context. In gardens and plant collections (and Mating in Single Oaks also rarely in nature!), actually two different pollinating scenarios can be ometimes one encounters a single, described: that of a single specimen of isolated individual tree, thriving in S oak in an environment devoid of oaks a private collection as the only repre- and another one of an isolated plant in sentative of its species. The proud a collection of other oak species. I owner admires and perhaps even pam- pers it. But little thought is given to it have experienced both cases. besides the esthetic, botanical or horti- The first type is encountered with for- cultural merit of such a plant. eign, introduced oak trees in Israel. They were in the past handed out to It is this case of a single individual that gardeners to test their suitability for I would like to consider here, specifi- horticultural practice in different parts cally the isolation of the species and of Israel. A suitable case for this situa- Author with Quercus pontica. Photo: Michael Avishai the significance and biological interest tion is a single, sexually mature speci- of the reproductive barriers that pre- These two examples can be interpreted men of the evergreen Californian vent it from crossing with other spe- in different ways, but there can be no Quercus agrifolia Née growing at Kib- cies. doubt that their significance and inter- butz Horshim in the coastal plain of est is much greater than what the casu- Oaks are wind-pollinated trees with Israel, north east of Tel Aviv, since al observer might think. For example, male and female flowers on the same 1985. let us consider the case of the Califor- tree. But in spite of this fact they set The second type of case is the single, nian and the native Israeli or Mediter- usually only when another indi- sexually mature, deciduous plant of Q. ranean species: all evolved under very vidual of the same species exists in the pontica K. Koch cultivated at the Jeru- different geological historical scenari- vicinity and can serve as a pollen do- salem Botanical Garden. In both cases os. If they are compatible it means nor. The phenomenon is known as self the characteristic outcrossing mating they share not only the same chromo- -incompatibility and the plants distin- system of oaks produces two pro- some number but much more in their guished as such are defined by geneti- molecular makeup. Given that all three foundly different results: cists as outcrossers. However, in some Israeli species represent a very ancient rare cases this pattern is not true and a) The Q. agrifolia in the coastal plain element (probably Miocene) in the according to a recent study* a few cas- of Israel is exposed to only three types circum-Mediterranean Flora, this es (3.5%) of self-pollination give rise of pollen donors: the native evergreen makes the elucidation of the phyloge- to viable acorns. oak (Quercus coccifera subsp. 8 Oak News & Notes Did you know?

ccording to A www.monumentaltrees.com, a site that records height, age, and size records for Europe’s largest English oaks (Quercus robur L.), the tallest is found in Poland’s National Park of Białowieża. This tree is 43.6 m/142 ft tall. The oldest is the Granit oak in at an estimated 1,664 years old, and the oak with the thickest girth at 14.75 m/48 ft. is found in . Michel Decalut looking over his selection of Q. cerris ‘Waasland Compact’. Photo: Philippe de Spoelberch rare plants named Waasland In Memoriam in Nieukerken, near Antwerp, Bel- Quercus agrifolia seedling. Photo: Micheal Avishai his past year we lost two of our gium. He was active in selecting and netic background most interesting in T prominent members. Richard propagating oak and volun- its implications. Earle, together with his late wife Jo, teered many hours helping the nearby had been involved with many of our historic chateau and arboretum of Hof The first scenario that comes to mind ter Saksen with their trees. is one where all of the four species share the same chromosome type and I have been the grateful recipient of the same type of pollen grain. The their hospitality on several occasions, ability of the Israeli species to polli- staying in their homes, hearing some nate and fertilize the Californian spe- of their tree stories, being toured cies – and to a lesser degree the cork around their regions, and leaving with oak – while holm oak remains sterile some of their acorns. I, like many other and isolated, might indicate their very longtime members, already miss ancient origin from times before the them. breakup of the ancient single conti- nent, when their distribution com- Guy Sternberg prised all the Northern Hemisphere. Other mating patterns could be de- CCSV13: In Search of scribed, but all would need critical ex- perimental verification. Jo and Richard Earle at their home in Dorset, Eng- Vietnam’s Elusive To sum up: watch the mating of your land. Photo: Guy Sternberg Oaks isolated species – they could tell a fas- activities. Together they helped to or- cinating story. ganize the Winchester conference in ince 1987, when Vietnam official- 2003, and they were very active partic- S ly reopened its doors to foreigners, Michael Avishai ipants in some of our European Oak there have been numerous botanical expeditions organized by official insti- *Lapais, O., G. Roussel, F. Hubert, A. Kremer and S. Open Days and tours, including the Gerber, Strength and variability of postmating repro- tour. Frankham, their historic tutions as well as by amateurs. None ductive isolating barriers between four European farm in Dorset, , was the home have specifically targeted oaks or even white oak species, Tree Genetics & Genomes, 2013, the in general, although the Vol. 9, Issue 3: 841-853. for several oaks grown from IOS seed as well as some native veteran trees. It diversity of this family in Vietnam is Editor’s note: The author now considers continues in operation under the care quite extraordinary. that the tree of Q. agrifolia may be self- of their daughters Susan and Eliza- From October 24 to November 17, compatible and could have pollinated it- beth. Olivier Colin, Charles Snyers, and I self. explored northern Vietnam with the Michel Decalut was the founder and aim of finding its oaks. The great operator of a nursery and collection of French explorers of the first half of the

9 Oak News & Notes

ation for Chassé-Colin- Continuing our route north, the second Snyers-Vietnam 2013 ) took part of the trip was spent exploring us to Ba Vi National Park different areas near Sa Pa, the mythical and to Tam Dao National Phan Xi Pang mountain, and another Park (west of Hanoi) and mountain called Nhiu Co San, very then further north to the area near the Chinese border. Lithocarpus around a village called Mu and Castanopsis spp. were in great Cang Chai, where we had the abundance, but representatives of our opportunity to eat fried favorite genus were few and far be- grasshoppers and drink rice tween as we climbed these steep that our hosts explained mountains. was flavored with opium, though it seemed to us upon The last part of our voyage took us drinking that it is probably even further north and east to the Ha Giang Province, before eventually Quercus austroglauca (Y.T. Chang) Y.T. Chang. another part of the poppy Photo: Charles Snyers that is used. heading south back to Hanoi. This is probably one of the most unexplored 20th century who roamed the wilder- Some of the oaks encountered along regions of Vietnam to date. Here we ness of what was at the time called the way included Q. braianensis A. found (along with numerous species of Tonkin (northern Vietnam) and Annam Camus, Q. xanthotricha Drake, Q. ne- Lithocarpus and Castanopsis) Q. (central Vietnam) left a legacy of oak glecta (Schottky) Koidz., Q. macro- gomeziana A. Camus, Q. asymmetrica discoveries behind them as can be seen calyx Hickel & A. Camus, and several Hickel & A. Camus, Q. aliena Blume, in Madame Camus’ Les Chênes, (The other as yet unidentified oaks and Q. austroglauca Y.T. Chang. (hopefully these questions will be re- Oaks, Monograph of the Genus Quer- A lot of work remains to be done to cus) and in Henri Lecomte’s Flore Gé- solved by the time a full account of this expedition is published in Interna- identify all of the things we saw, col- nérale de l’Indochine (General Flora lected and/or photographed. The mind of Indochina). Unfortunately boggles at the diversity of these forests for us, their descriptions did where extraordinary names abound: not include extremely precise Rehderodendron, Polyspora, Aspidis- indications of where the oaks tra, Cryptocarya, Holboellia… the list could be found. But the ques- is seemingly endless and a great lesson tion comes to mind: would a in humility for one coming from the modern-day explorer write a very calmest of places botanically detailed description of where speaking, i.e., the temperate forest. to find Quercus robur L. in France? That would be silly— This voyage would not have been pos- it is all over the place! He sible without the generous support of would probably just write, different individuals who recognized “very common in…” which is the importance of attempting to update exactly what the French ex- our knowledge of the oaks of Vietnam. plorers wrote for a number of the oaks in Vietnam. Are Béatrice Chassé many of these species no Charles Snyers on Thac Bac Mountain at 2,200 m/7,200 ft. longer common? Significant- Photo: Béatrice Chassé Changes in Oak ly, hardly any of the farmers and villagers (who use everything the tional Oaks, No. 25). Even more frus- Cultivar Registration forest offers) to whom we showed trating than the difficulties encountered acorns and drawings knew what these in finding the oaks were the difficulties The Cultivar Registration Form has were. And except on one or two occa- encountered in identifying them cor- received a few needed updates and is sions, when they said they did they rectly! Without the help of Dr. Min now available as an editable PDF. The would show us Lithocarpus or Cas- Deng, who has spent a great deal of Registration Help Form has also been tanopsis species. time looking at our photographs and updated and both can be found at The first part of CCSV13 (our abbrevi- herbarium specimens, I would have www.internationaloaksociety.org un- given up a long time ago. der the heading: Resources 10 Oak News & Notes France, Mexico, and several US states. listen to attendees such as Allen Member Spotlight: Many of the oaks now planted around Coombes and Guy Sternberg talk Bob McCartney Aiken were collected by Bob at IOS plants with Bob as he led our tours. I conferences or gifted to him by friends must admit it was hard to keep up, but virtual botanic dictionary made through the IOS. Naturally, one very enjoyable nonetheless. A wrapped in a smooth southern of his favorite taxa is Quercus and the drawl, Virginia born and longtime IOS City of Aiken is home to one of the Quick to joke, a fantastic story teller, member Bob McCartney is a rarity most comprehensive oak collections in and humble to his core, Bob McCart- among nurserymen. Bob started with the United States. The collection in- ney is one of the members that makes Woodlanders Nursery in Aiken, South cludes some of the rarest oaks in the the IOS a great organization. Carolina more than 30 years ago and world, a fact helped out immensely by soon took over operation of the nurse- the ideal mix of sandy, low pH ry. This was around the same time Bob and USDA zone 8, not to mention the started working with the City of Aiken fact that South Carolina boasts one of planting trees and shrubs in various the highest numbers of oak species areas of the city. Bob also worked on native to one state. Oaks from Mexico, several private estates in Aiken, plant- Japan, China, and most parts of the US ing many trees and shrubs. And these all grow very well here. Truly a bota- were no ordinary, run-of-the-mill trees nist’s dream come true. and shrubs. Since Woodlanders spe- cializes in rare and unusual plant mate- When asked what his favorite oak was, rial, Bob began using some of this ma- Bob’s reply was something like: terial to plant around the city. Over the “Well, should my favorite oak be years, Bob has slowly built a botanic Quercus alba, which is everyone's fa- treasure with few peers. His efforts vorite if only because it provides the for Jack Daniel’s whiskey? I Bob showing one of his hoophouse struc- have not gone unnoticed, as this past tures. Photo: Roderick Cameron July the Mayor of Aiken proclaimed like Q. laevis which is common on my property, but regarded with contempt July 14 as Bob McCartney Day. Ryan Russell as "scrub oak" by most neighbors, or a Many of the rare plants placed around real scrub oak like Q. inopina which Aiken were collected on expeditions most people have never heard Did you know? Bob has taken over the years. These of. Then of course I do really like Q. n 1831, the Swedish King, Carl Jo- trips have taken Bob to Argentina, affinis from Mexico.” A reply that han (Charles XIV John) commis- sounds very familiar. I sioned the planting of 300,000 oak Two areas that have received Bob’s seedlings on the island of Visingsö for attention are The Rye Patch and Hope- the building of naval battleships. Oak lands Gardens. These were once pri- was the best ship building mate- vate estates, but are now public gar- rial of the day, but by the time the oaks dens. Between these two areas Bob has were ready to be used, in 1975, all planted over 200 plants that are now a ships were made of steel.Today the significant part of each collection. forest on Visingö covers over 360 ha/ Then there are the city tree trails that 890 ac and some of the harvested trees Bob has had a heavy hand putting in have been used for flooring, furniture, place. This includes two mile-long and whiskey casks. stretches of oaks as well as a mile-long stretch of rare trees and shrubs that run Tour Committee along Colleton Avenue in Aiken. Most of these trees were planted by Bob Update over the years. ot everyone has either the time or Bob hosted an Oak Open Day event N the money to participate in tours this past November in Aiken (see of several days, so probably the most “Aiken Oak Open Days,” page 8) and important function of the Tour Com- Bob McCartney taking in the flora of Mexico during it was a real pleasure for this novice to mittee is to offer shorter annual meet- the 2009 IOS Conference. Photo: Guy Sternberg ings, Oak Open Days, accessible to as 11 Oak News & Notes much of our worldwide membership as event at Trompenburg Arboretum in The adjectives the Bard uses to de- possible, at which oaks can be enjoyed the Netherlands on August 28-29. The scribe oaks center around strength and and friendships made and renewed. event will showcase the splendid col- robustness, e.g., “stout,” “sound,” Looking back to 2013, OODs were lection of oaks and include a seminar, “hardest-timber’d,” but also refer to held in the UK (the Sir Harold Hillier and those who attend will have the op- the timber (“knotted,” “knotty,” Gardens), Pavia Nurseries in Belgium, tion of spending the subsequent week- “gnarled,” “close”—as in close- and the City of Aiken, South Carolina, end touring the area. In the USA, grained). However, the most striking USA (the latter two events reviewed in Board member Ryan Russell is expect- adjective he used for an oak is this newsletter). Both the Hillier and ing to host a sticky summer meeting in “unwedgeable” (impervious to wedg- Pavia days were well attended, as were the Southeast. In addition, a longer es). In fact, his is the first recorded use similar events held previously in Eu- tour is being planned for the autumn in of the word in that sense (in 1603) and rope; thus we attempted in 2013 to ex- southern Italy, most probably at the the next recorded instance, according port the successful formula to the end of October, so start saving or to the Oxford English Dictionary, does USA, where a warm Southern wel- hedging your now! Please check not occur till about 200 years later. come was offered at the wonderful the IOS website or contact Shaun Had- venue of Aiken. Somewhat surprising- dock for updates on these latter events. Shakespeare refers to oaks mostly as a ly, in view of the fact that the USA is And, most importantly, please reward landmark (blame that on Falstaff), but our most populous IOS nation by far, the efforts of the organizers by making as far as imagery is concerned, he most just over 20 members attended (and of an effort to attend – I promise you often mentions it as a symbol of forti- those, some came from as far afield as won’t be disappointed! tude, physical and moral, and in many Uruguay and Mexico!), a disappoint- cases in the context of a storm, wheth- er on land or at sea as part of a ship. ing return for the efforts of the organ- Shaun Haddock Specifically, an oak is four times de- izers. Perhaps the problem lies in the distances involved in the USA, but picted as a victim of lightning: aside please, US members, if you have any Oaks in Shakespeare from Lear on the heath (see above), ideas how to increase attendance (for Coriolanus’ mother Volumnia refers to example, a joint venue with another aks are plentiful in Shakespeare’s “a bolt/That should but rive an oak,” society of your acquaintance), let the O works, more than any other tree Prospero in The Tempest boasts he has Tour Committee know. We would like and second only to roses as far as “rifted Jove’s stout oak/With his own such events to become a dependable plants go. Oaks are referred to 34 times bolt,” and in Measure for Measure Isa- annual fixture. in 16 of the 37 plays and in one narra- bella claims Heaven is merciful be- Our most sincere thanks are due to tive poem, mostly as nouns, but twice cause it chooses a tree its own size ra- Wolfgang Bopp and his team at Hilli- as an adjective (“oaken”) and once as ther than a weakling to aim its light- er; Dirk Benoit at Pavia; and at Aiken part of a compound adjective in Lear’s ning at: “oak-cleaving thunderbolts.” the irrepressible Bob McCartney, who Merciful Heaven, with the help of Elizabeth Harm and As regards distribution of the refer- Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt others from the City of Aiken orga- ences, the most English of Shake- Split'st the unwedgeable and gnarled oak Than the soft myrtle. nized the event there. speare’s comedies, The Merry Wives of

Windsor, is in pole position with eight Roderick Cameron Looking forward to 2014, the first instances, but that is largely due to the event of the year will be in the UK, plan to ambush Falstaff at Herne’s where turnout has been so encouraging Oak, a traditional Windsor landmark. that we are offering a two-day event In Coriolanus, which ranks second Points of Contact (but members may opt to attend either with seven instances, the protagonist is day on its own). On Sunday, July 6 crowned with a garland of oak leaves Submissions for the Newsletter Christine Battle has kindly offered to as a mark of military victory. Four ref- open her collection of rare oaks and erences mention the oaken garland, Ryan Russell - Roderick Cameron other unusual trees at Congreve to the including a stage direction (always rare [email protected] IOS commencing with a buffet lunch in Shakespeare) that specifies that Cor- at 12:30. Monday July 7, we make an iolanus enters “crowned with an oaken Submissions for the Journal all-day visit to the well-known arbore- garland.” But with three instances Béatrice Chassé - Allen Coombes tum at Westonbirt, with its many su- where Quercus is used for poetic pur- perb mature trees – please register with poses, Coriolanus appears to be the [email protected] [email protected] for further most genuinely oak-rich play. information. There will be a two-day 12