The Newsletter of the International Society, Volume 8, No. 2, july 2004

Concern About Sudden Oak Deatn Grows As reported in several issues of California, Oregon, Ohio, North complete and the nursery is found this newsletter, and in Proceed­ Carolina, and Georgia. The other to be free from the pathogen, all ings articles from the last two In­ San Diego County nursery con­ out-of-state shipments of host ternational Oak Society Symposia, ducts much of their sales through nursery stock and associated ar­ Sudden Oak Death or SOD is a new mail orders. This news has sent ticles, as well as within the disease affecting some species of shock waves through the nursery same genus as any host or asso­ in California. The agent re­ and forest industries since it was ciated article, and any lo­ sponsible for this disease is feared that infected plants had cated within 10 meters of a host Phytophthora ramorum, a fungus­ been shipped throughout the or associated article, must remain like water mold that can girdle United States. Trace-back and on hold. For a complete list of mature trees and consequently kill trace-forward surveys were there­ hosts and associated plants, as them. To date this disease has fore conducted to determine well as the complete text of the been reported on four of where infected plants originated order, go to www.aphis.usda.gov/ California's 20 species of native and where they were shipped once ppq/ispm/sod/index.html. For in­ oaks - all members of the black they left each of the nurseries. formation on testing protocols, go oak (Quercus agrifolia, Q. kelloggii, As of early mid-May, the Los An­ to www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ispm/ Q. parvula var. shrevi) or inter­ geles County trace-forward inves­ sod/survey. htm I. mediate oak (Q. chryso/epis) sub­ tigations found the following out­ genera. It has also been confirmed of-state nurseries to have infes­ Another troubling development on approximately 25 other species tations: Florida (6); Washington was the recent report that the dis­ of plants, and is thought to infect (18); Oregon (9); Georgia (13); ease has shown up on a number at least 30 other species (associ­ Louisiana (6); North Carolina (9); of important tree species in En­ ated species that have not yet New Mexico (1); Tennessee (2); gland, including horse chestnut been officially confirmed as hosts). Texas (6); Colorado(!); Maryland (Aescu/us hippocastanum) and Fortunately, however, it does not (2); Pennsylvania (1); New Jer­ European beech (Fagus sylvatica). appear that members of the white sey (1); Alabama (3); Arizona (1) While over 300 nurseries in England oak sub-genera are susceptible. and Virginia(!), for a total of 80 have reported finding infected nurseries outside of California. In plants in the last two years, and In the wild, SOD has been found addition, 45 California nurseries SOD has been known to have ex­ in 13 coastal counties in California have been found to have plants isted in Europe since 1993, until -presumably because the disease that tested positive. this year all infections were re­ organism requires the moist, cool stricted to nursery plants or plants conditions found near the ocean. On April 22, 2004, the USDA Ani­ in the immediate vicinity of nurs­ Recently, however, the pathogen mal Plant Health Inspection Ser­ eries and garden centers. While has also been identified at a num­ vice (APHIS) issued an amended there have only been ten cases ber of nurseries outside the 13- emergency order restricting the where trees have been found to county zone of infestation. This movement of nursery stock from be infected at three sites in South­ past March·, inspectors detected California nurseries. The amended ern England (and another site in the pathogen on several varieties order replaced an April 9, 2004 the Netherlands), these are the of Camellia at two ornamental nurs­ Emergency Order and called for first findings of infections in na­ eries in Southern California. The nurseries that ship P. ramorum tive or naturalized trees in Europe. Los Angeles County nursery is over hosts or associated plants inter­ Since some of these species are 500 acres and is one of the larg­ state to be inspected by a regu­ widespread, and beech is an im­ est sellers of wholesale plants in latory official, sampled, and tested portant component of hardwood the country, with six nurseries in for the disease. Until testing is forests in the UK, losing large num-

I Oak News iY Notes

continued from page r ... bers of these trees would have serious consequences. As a result, the Forestry Commission con­ ducted a systematic survey in woodlands throughout the United Kingdom. The survey was carried out at 1,217 high-risk sites across Membership Renewals or Starhill Forest, Route 1, Box 272 Applications: Petersburg, IL 62675 USA England, Scotland, and Wales, as Richard J. Jensen Tel: 217-632-3685 well as at 131 sites in lower-risk Department of Biology e-mail: [email protected] areas of England and Scotland. Saint Mary's College Of the 335 symptomatic plant Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Ron Lance, Co-chair samples taken, all were negative Tel: 574-284-4674 Chimney Rock Park Nursery for P. ramo rum. Another positive Fax: 574-284-4716 P.O. Box 39 note is that the only native oaks E-mail: [email protected] Chimney Rock, NC 28720 USA in England, pedunculate oak (Q. Tel: 828 265-4039 robur) and sessile oak (Q. Submittals for the Newsletter: Fax: 828 265-9610 Doug McCreary, Chair E-mail: petraea), are both white oaks, and Newsletter Editorial Committee [email protected] unlikely to become hosts. For in­ 8279 Scott Forbes Road formation about Phytophthora Browns Valley, CA 95918 USA European Contact: ramorum in the UK, visit the web Tel: 530 639-8807 Eike Jablonski site of the Department for Envi­ Fax: 530 639-2419 No. 6a, L-9456 Hoesdorf ronment, Food and Rural Affairs E-mail: [email protected] LUXEMBOURG (DEFRA): (http:// Tel: 352-836297 www.defra.gov.uk/) and look un­ Submittals for Journal: Fax: 352-816481 der Phytophthora ramorum. Guy Sternberg, Co-chair E-mail: Journal Editorial Committee ei ke.ja blonski@education .lu To learn more about this disease, including where the pathogen has Oak News & Notes been found, what species are sus­ The Newsletter of the International Oak Society ceptible, and details of the nurs­ 8279 Scott Forbes Road ery situation, visit the web site of Browns Valley, CA 95918 USA the California Oak Mortality Task Force (COMTF): President: Eike Jablonski (www. en r. berkeley. ed u/ comtf/). Vice President: Allen Coombes Secretary: Ron Lance Doug McCreary Treasurer: William Hess Newsletter Editor: Doug McCreary Journal Editors: Guy Sternberg and Ron Lance

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Letters to the Editor

As one of the newer members of the So­ 2290 S.E. Kiger Island Dr. ciety, I would like to thank David fl'ic Stuewe President Corvallis, OR 97333-9425 USA Richardson (local member) for encourag­ (BOO) 553-5331 ing my involvement. Upon receipt of my (541) 757-7798 first newsletter, I felt a need to respond (541) 754-6617 FAX (not surprising to those who know me). www.stuewe.com e-mail: [email protected] In response to Philippe Gontier, there is an effort to find, recognize, measure, document, and research information on Open Day in England significant trees in the state of Texas. Please visit www.texastreetrails.org to The Right Hon. The Lord Heseltine has kindly invited us to visit visit an impressive site dedicated to his arboretum at Thenford, Northampton on Saturday Botanic treasures. The state listing of September Uth at 2:30pm. The Arboretum at Thenford was champion trees is found in the following started about 27 years ago and has a collection of over 3,500 location: www.txforestservice.tamu.edu different trees including a large collection of oaks, set in 50 and the local champion list is found in acres of landscape gardens. There are many ornamental the following location: www. tbufc. org. features including medieval fish ponds, lakes, a walled garden, There is also a local (Dallas) group that and a sculpture garden.Cost of the visit is: International Oak is involved in not only finding, recogniz­ Society Members £5. Non-members £7. ing, etc., but is actively participates in preserving these treasures. The group can Numbers will be limited. To ensure your place, please complete be found in the following location: the form below and return to Jo Earle by August 23'd. She will www.dhtc.org. This website is still under acknowledge receipt and send directions to you. For security construction. reasons, the Society has to provide a list of the names of everyone who is attending. In response to the "Old Dickory Saved from Destruction" article, I can only ex­ There will be a plant exchange. The exchange is a very valu­ press my humble gratitude to Colleen able part of the Society as it enables members to expand their Perilloux Landry and the Live Oak Soci­ own collections. So please help by bringing your spare plants. ety, for recognizing the importance of the Do come and bring a friend. We need to recruit members. tree and standing up for what was obvi­ Membership forms will be available. ously the right thing to do. As someone who has also suffered the "slings and ar­ Jo Earle rows" that go with "standing up" for trees, I want you to know that you are true lOS Open Day Thenford Sept.ll th 04 heroes!! Short of cloning people like Mrs. Landry, our best hope for the future is 1/We will be attending and enclose: educating our children regarding the im­ portance of these treasures. In this re­ £ ...... (£5 per member) gard we should all be involved. Educating £ ...... (£7 per non-member) (cheques payable to JM Earle) the politicians and business executives is much more difficult (and stressful) than Name (s): ------educatiri£( the children, as' I am certain Address (es) : ______that Mrs. Landry (and the Live Oak Soci­ .,. ety) can attest!! Jo Earle, Frankham Farm Ryme Intrinseca Thank you, Sherborne DT9 6JT Tel: 01935 872304 Steve Houser Fax: 01935 873119 Email: [email protected]

.!Q ~ ~ Oak News iJ" Notes Book Review: Pictorial Encyclopedia of Oaks in Japan French Oak Open By Eike Jablonski (Hoesdorf, Luxemburg), President, International Oak Society Days Scheduled Keiko Tokunaga, a member of the The book is, of course, written in On Friday, September 24 an Oak Society, has recently published a Japanese, but with a very wel­ Open Day Tour will start with a wonderful account of Japanese come summary in English and with visit to the National Museum Gar­ entitled Pictorial Ency­ scientific names in Latin. In addi­ den in Paris where we will view his­ clopedia of Oaks in Japan, covering tion to the brief botanical descrip­ toric old oaks. Later we will go to the genera Quercus, Lithocarpus, tions, there is other interesting in­ Michel Angeard's oak garden at Castanea, Castanopsis and Fagus. formation about oaks: did you Tn§laze near Angers (west , Under Quercus she has included Q. know, for example, that the Japa­ near Loire valley). On Saturday robur and Q. rubra which, for Japa­ nese name for Quercus September 25, we will tour the La nese readers, are exotic. phi/lyraeoides is "Ubamegashi"? Maulevrie Arboretum at Angers, and "Ubame" means "eyes of an old view many old oaks and lots of Keiko is also a professional artist woman ", referring to the young hybrids, including Quercus ilex cul­ who won a gold medal at the 2001 leaf, which is not green but yel­ tivars. Following this will be a visit RHS Botanical Art Exhibition in Lon­ low-brown, so this oak is called to the National Forest of Berce that don, where two of her works are "The-eyes-of-an-old-woman­ contains the tallest Quercus now exhibited at the RHS Lindley oak". For Quercus dentata, the petraea in France. On Sunday, Library. So the book is wonderfully Daimyo Oak, the Japanese name September 26, we will visit the illustrated by her own watercolour is "Kashiwa" which represents the National Arboretum of les Barres drawings depicting detailed aspects first part of the sentence "Lend­ that houses the national oak col­ of the subject, such as,habitats ing money but never borrowing it"; lection. For additional information of a mature tree, bark, male and thus, referring to a rich person. about the Open Days, please con­ female flowers, winter buds, leaves Quercus dentata is called a lucky tact: Thierry Lamant, Office Na­ and the variability at different times tree, which is why it is often seen tional des Forets, Conservatoire of the year, beginning with the new in home gardens, and at shrines Genetique des Arbres Forestiers, flush to autumn colour. Acorns from and temples- maybe you have al­ Avenue de Ia Pomme de Pin, BP several sources are shown to­ ready planted a "Kashiwa" outside 20619 Ardon, 45166 Olivet cedex, gether, so that the variation is your home! France; Tel : +33 (0) 238 41 48 clearly visible, and germinating 06;email :[email protected]. seedlings are shown under devel­ "Pictorial Encyclopedia of Oaks in opment, mostly at full scale. A map Japan" is a wonderful book and an of Japan is provided for each spe­ essential addition, not only to the cies to show its distribution. Quercus bookshelf, but also to the libraries of all those who admire ~ipseL All 21 Japanese native taxa of botanical art. It can be ordered Planting System Quercus are illustrated, including via email from Kaisei-Sha Publisher, The best deep cell the rare ones var. n>kyo; ISBN4-03-971140-8; propagation horikawae and Q. miyagii. Keiko [email protected]. The price is containers & trays for your confirms that Japanese oak experts 4800 Yen (approx. $46 US) plus oak seedlings do not always follow the Frodin and postage and packing. It is Godaert classification: in their "World hardbound, 25x29 em, and 156 Call for free samples Checklist of " Quercus pages. Until August, Oak Society 800-284-0390 myrsinifolia is included in Quercus members can order the book di­ or visit our web site for complete Information: glauca, and Quercus crispula is in­ rectly .... from Keiko www .monarchmfg.com cluded in . The ([email protected]) for the Japanese have an old tradition discounted price of 3360 about separating certa in species, Yen ($32), plus postage and pack­ to show differences in distribution ing. For add itional information, see: and flower cycle, as well as the dif­ members.jcom. home. ne.jp/kacorn/ ferent taxonomical features. index-e.htm. 4 Oak News iJ' Notes through your book dealer or from Book Review: Timber Press - US orders may be Native Trees for North American Landscapes sent directly to Guy Sternberg (in­ clude $5 shipping extra, cash or By Doug McCreary, Editor, Oak News & Notes check) for personally inscribed cop­ ies if desired. To see a description, Like everything else, our appre­ about cultural concerns and how or to order a copy directly from the ciation of nature and wild things best to care for individual species publisher, visit the following web site: we may have on our property. Fi­ changes over time. Today, partly www. tim berpress. com/books/ because of all of the problems and nally, we learn how critical some of isbn.cfm/0-88192-607-8. the unintended consequences as­ them are for wildlife and where the sociated with the introduction of "champions" (the largest of their non-native plants, animals, and species) can be found. As such, this Another Great Oak other organisms into our land­ book is an invaluable reference and scape, there seems to be an awak­ source of information. But it is much Lost in zoo3 ening interest in and enthusiasm more than that because it also cel­ for things native. This is especially ebrates native trees and the im­ The past two years have been true in the case of trees. Often portant part they play in our expe­ bad ones for monumental oaks in scorned and unappreciated in the rience of life. If you are a tree lover, the United States. We already re­ past, and sometimes eliminated to this book deserves a prominent ported in International Oaks about "tame" the wilderness, native trees place on your bookshelf. But don't the loss of the Wye Oak and the are now considered emblematic of expect it to stay there long, as you Pemberton Oak, both Quercus our natural landscape and sym­ will want to refer to it often, both alba. We since have learned that bols of values we hold dear. In the to obtain information and to rekindle the US National Champion (and International Oak Society, oaks that sense of wonder about the presumably the world's largest) hold a special place in our hearts natural world that trees seem par­ Quercus velutina was lost to Hur­ and minds, and are appreciated and ticularly adept at stimulating. ricane Isabel on 19 September revered. Among other things, oaks 2003. This tree had been growing represent strength, longevity, Synopsis: The book is a compre­ in Colonial Beach, Virginia for sev­ adaptability, and beauty. hensive cross section of trees na­ eral centuries, but was split by tive to North America, from the At­ the storm gales. When last mea­ This new book by Guy Sternberg lantic to the Rockies and from sured in 2001, it had been 332 and Jim Wilson presents and praises northern Canada to the Gulf Coast. inches (8.5 m) in circumference, native trees. It not only provides Following introductory chapters on 108 feet (33m) tall, and 116 feet a wealth of practical information reading the landscape, getting (35 m) in spread, for a total of and advice about establishing and started, and landscape management 469 points. This ranked it among caring for native trees, it also in­ around trees, the main section of the largest oaks on earth. Own­ cludes useful, informative, and the book is divided into tree pro­ ers Betty and Joe Wilson report­ sometimes touching anecdotes files, each including general fea­ edly plan to have some com­ about these plants we sometimes tures, flowers and fruit, native and memorative pieces carved from take for granted. But one of the adaptive range, culture, cultivars, the wood so that the great tree most notable things about this book pmblems, similar species, the best will live on in art. Guy Sternberg are the spectacular photographs seasonal features, an, ...d _:c:.::o:.:_m~m~e~n~ts::_:· _ _::=:======~ that accompany it. Some are truly In all, more than 650 ,.... breathtaking and will delight any­ species and varieties, one who appreciates nature and the and more than 500 WILLIAM GUION beauty that trees provide. cultivars, are dis­ oak tree photographs cussed. 552 pp., 8.5 Nearly 100 individual species are x 11 inch~ (280 x described in this handsome book, 215 em), 513 color and for each we learn about their photos, 961ine draw- leaves, their flowers and fruit, ings, 1 map. ISBN: 0- where they naturally occur, and 88192-607-8, Price: www.williamguion.com what they look like at different $59.95 us, £45.00 bill~williamguion.com times of the year. We also find out Europe. Order ~------~ 5 Oak News i7 Notes

Oak Tour of and Georgia Set for Fall ~004

Plans are being finalized for an International Oak Society Tour to Turkey and Georgia, which is tentatively scheduled for October 16-28, 2004. The itinerary for this tour is listed below:

October 16- Saturday: Arrival in Istanbul October 17- Sunday: Depart for Erzurum by plane and then to Ispir by mini-bus. Species we will see will include: Q. infectoria subsp. boissieri, Q. petraea subsp. iberica, and Q. macranthera subsp. syspirensis. We will also visit steppes with many woody endemics; Xero-euxinian valleys with shrubs and Pyrus elaeagnifolia; a Pinus sy/vestris forest; Picea orienta/is; subalpine flora; and Mediterranean flora at lower elevations.

October 18- Monday: Ispir-Yusufeli-Barhal

October 19 - Tuesday: Barhai-Yusufeli-Barhal; Hatila Forest, Mediterranean flora at lower elevations and Euxinian Forest above, as well as subalpine flora

October 20- Wednesday: Artvin, visit to Hatila Forest National Park that has a range of trees and shrubs; Buxus sempervirens forest; forest on boulders; subalpine shrubs including Rhodo­ dendrons

October 21 -Thursday: Artvin-Macahel; Untouched temperate rain forests, with Q. pontica

October 22- Friday: Macahel

October 23 - Saturday: Macahei-Batumi Georgia; Q. imeretina, Q. hartwissiana, Q. iberica, Zelkova carpinifolia

October 24- Sunday: Batumi- Kobuletti-Wani-Sacornia-Batumi; Tour by bus will take us 130 km up to 150-m elevation where we will view Q. dschorochensis, Q. woronowii, Q. hartwissiana, Pinus kochiana, Picea orienta/is, and carpinifolia

October 25 - Monday: Batumi-Keda-Khulo-Batumi 100 km by bus up to 1000-m elevation; Batumi city tour -Mesum-Gonio Castle

October 26- Tuesday: Batumi-Hopa-Trabzon by bus; Trabzon-Istanbul by airplane

October 27 - Return to Istanbul

October 28 - Depart for homes

This tour is expected to cost approximately 2000 Euros ($2350 US) for each participant. A more detailed tour description will be developed if there is an indication that at least 15 people will sign up, in which case a guide will m.ake a trial tour over the same route. For additional information, or to confirm your interest in attending, please contact Ms. Funda at the following E-mail address: [email protected] and at fax number: 0212-28110 32.

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