bt~ axãá 9 aÉàxá The Newsletter of the International Oak Society, Volume 20, No. 2, 2016

St. Joseph Plantaon Oak. Vacherie, Louisiana, by photographer William Guion (see arcle on page 4). © William Guion UK Oak Open Days: Gooder and Thenford nce again IOS members gathered in the English coun- ers to create hedges. A seed-grown Q. alnifolia has done O tryside in July to visit two remarkable oak collections. quite well over the last several years and displays a lovely A total of 30 participants were involved, hailing from the golden color on the underside of the leaves. Several Mexi- UK and across Europe as far as the Czech Republic. The can oaks caught my attention: Q. miquihuanensis, with weather was splendid on both days, which felt particularly dark green leaves with downy undersides; Q. candicans; Q. lucky as it had been very wet in the days leading up to the affinis; Q. albocincta, which had bright green leaves and is event. Our first stop was David and Carole Gooder’s Hean- unlikely to be very hardy – David joked “It’s never had any ley Farm, near the village of Hurley in Warwickshire. problems since I planted it…[Pause] I planted it yesterday” – and a Q. castaneifolia was starting to show its typical ele- Heanley Farm and Halloughton Field (July 17) phant-foot root flare and elephant-skin bark. We began by visiting the trees in the garden around the Notable Asian oaks in the garden included Q. semecarpifo- house. David started planting oaks here in 2007, and the lia, a small tree with leathery leaves, dark glossy above, garden now covers about 1.5 ha. The soil is sandstone and Q. dentata ‘Carl Ferris Miller’, which was propagated based and free draining, and most of the trees are doing from a plant collected in South Korea in 1976 by Robert very well. and Jelena De Belder of Hemelrijk, Belgium. We also saw I noted a beautiful Quercus texana ‘New Madrid’, and a Q. Q. suber ‘Sopron’, a particularly hardy selection with palustris ‘Green Dwarf’, which is often used by landscap- leaves that are darker and shinier than is typical. It is

D bt~ axãá 9 aÉàxá oaks and will eventually be re- Amory’s Chevithorne Barton. moved. Besides Quercus, we also We learned that David has lost many saw Nyssa, Sorbus, Liquidambar, plants due to adverse weather: a cold Betula and, Crataegus. winter in 2010/2011 was followed by Before lunch we came across Q. drought in 2011 and excessive rainfall delgadoana, a relatively new spe- in 2011/2012. He has learned that, al- cies that was originally referred to though there may be advantages to as Q. eugeniifolia, found in mon- planting out seedlings as soon as possi- tane forests in Mexico’s Sierra ble, many tender small plants have not Madre Oriental, and a beautiful Q. made it. phillyreoides from Far East Asia, After the visit to Halloughton Field we with nice red shoots. Also of headed back to David’s house where Asian origin was Q. pannosa, with his wife Carol had kindly prepared tea its tiny leaves formed like the pet- for us, bringing to a close our visit to als of a flower. I recognized Q. this young but impressively large col- coccifera subsp. calliprinos, lection. Including plants in the poly- which we saw on the IOS trip to tunnel, David has collected over 420 Greece in 2011. Here it grows to a oak taxa, counting species, subspecies, full-sized tree. hybrids, and cultivars. We were invited by David to My wife and I stayed overnight at the lunch, which we enjoyed in the Manor Cottage, a lovely B&B about a ventilated shelter of a marquee mile from Heanley Farm, hosted by Quercus robur ’Timuki’ at Heanley Farm (see page 10 for installed in the middle of the ar- wonderful Nigel and Merry. Nigel further informaon on this culvar). boretum. © Shaun Haddock owns an antique car, a Lea Francis North American oaks that caught built in 1928, and he was kind enough named after a city in northeastern Hun- my eye in Halloughton Field included to take us on a tour through the village. gary where it originated. Though I was Q. palustris ‘Green Pillar’, which Thenford House (July 18) aware Q. suber is hardier that Q. ilex, I shows nice growth and doesn’t suffer was surprised that it can survive the from mildew, and two cultivars of the The next morning we descended into continental climate of Hungary. Of the hybrid Q. ×warei (Q. bicolor × robur), Northamptonshire and at Thenford’s North American oaks, I noted Q. ogle- ‘Windcandle’ and ‘Long’ (Regal Church Barn we were warmly wel- thorpensis, named after Oglethorpe Prince ®). They do very well, with come by Lord Michael Heseltine. We County in the state of Georgia in the good growth and shiny healthy leaves, were joined for the day by former IOS U.S., in turn named in honor of Gen- and they really stand out amongst the President Allen Coombes and dendrol- eral Oglethorpe, the founder of the col- species oaks, reaching 3 m and more ogist Hugh Angus, former Head of ony of Georgia. We saw many new after 5-6 years. Tree Collections for the Forestry Com- accessions in David’s polytunnel, mission. where he proudly showed us a Q. in- All David’s oaks were clearly identi- signis grown from seed collected in fied with aluminum labels and some The 28-ha park at Thenford is set in Veracruz, Mexico. trees still had their original labels, the shape of a horseshoe and surrounds which gave us an idea of ‘on the origin an elegant Georgian house built in the Later that morning we took our cars of species’ and the lengths Da- in 1760s. The grounds feature three and drove a couple of miles to the vid has gone to in order to ob- newer part of the arboretum, in what is tain his oaks. Nursery names we known as Halloughton Field, a 5-ha came across included Edulis, site where the bulk of the oak collec- Burncoose, BlueBell, Chris Pat- tion has been established. Here the soil tison, Birchfleet, Mallet Court, is clay and moisture retentive in parts. Pavia, and Pan-global, amongst David started planting here in 2011 others. David has also obtained and the collection of oaks is divided in oaks from Béatrice Chassé’s sections by continent of origin. In be- trips to Mexico, Vietnam, and tween the oaks he planted pioneer trees Taiwan, and he has traded trees (Betula pendula and Pinus sylvestris), with other arboreta, including which give protection to the young the late Michael Heathcoat Young growth on David Gooder’s Quercus laurina. © Shaun Haddock E bt~ axãá 9 aÉàxá large lakes and many a bird house with multi- smaller ponds, as well colored parrots, green- as picturesque water- houses, and sculptures in falls, bridges, and the middle of a fountain, sculptures. Quercus is which in the afternoon only one of many im- heat seemed to invite us portant collections of in for a swim. All was in rare plants at Thenford, an immaculate state and which total over 3,500 presented a spectacular species. Thenford only sight. Near the entrance opens to visitors a few to the walled garden we days each year, so we admired a splendid Q. were privileged indeed semecarpifolia, which to have the opportunity was moved a few years to delight in its won- ago and seems to be ders. thriving in the new loca- tion. We saw The Rill In the morning we visit- A view of St. Mary’s Church at Thenford across ones of its lakes. © Shaun Haddock with topiary Taxus and ed the south end of the the common name daimyo oak stand- The Water Gardens, consisting of vari- estate where we saw Q. macranthera ing in for dentata. You can find several ous ponds connected by cascades. East subsp. syspirensis, of Asian origin, signs of contact with Trompenburg of Thenford House we could admire near St. Mary’s Church, and also the throughout Thenford, such as Q. the very first oak cultivars planted on densely evergreen Q. laurifolia from ×libanerris, a hybrid between Q. cerris the estate: large specimens of Q. southeastern United States. and Q. libani, which originated in van frainetto ‘Hungarian Crown’, Q. robur We came across Q. look and most of Hoey Smith’s Arboretum. Fastigiata Group, and a Q. robur us didn’t have a clue what it was. It ‘Salicifolia’ over 10 meters high. Other interesting hybrids we saw were grows in northern Israel and Syria, and Q. ×ludoviciana (Q. pagoda × phel- For those of us who travel from further though in the past it was considered by los) and Q. ×riparia (Q. rubra × shu- away, Oak Open Days often offer the some it to be a synonym of Q. itha- mardii), the latter displaying an attrac- opportunity of extra activities before burensis subsp. ithaburensis or per- tive Lammas flush of pink leaves. and after the event. This time, on the haps a stabilized hybrid between Q. day prior to meeting up with the group, libani and Q. macrolepis, it is now an Just before lunch Peter Wells and I my wife and I visited BlueBell Nursery accepted species. visited St. Mary’s Church. The en- at Ashby de la Zouch, one of David trance is on the side (Roman Catholic A group of Q. dentata commanded our Gooder’s suppliers of oaks. Robert churches have their entrance at ‘the attention and further on we encoun- Vernon and his son (also Robert) have base of the cross’) with typical stone tered a Q. ‘Pondaim’ (Q. pontica × created an interesting arboretum next benches on either side of the portal. At dentata, now classified as Quercus to the nursery. And the day after Then- first glance Anglican churches don’t Pondaim Group) introduced by Dick ford we visited Oxford, including of seem to differ much from Roman van Hoey Smith of Arboretum course the University’s Botanic Gar- Catholic ones, but as Peter talked Trompenburg in Rotterdam. The name den, where I found all of my favorite about his childhood and the Anglican is a combination of the first syllable of trees – and reencountered General practices, the English Channel seemed each of the parent species names, with Oglethorpe, who I discovered was a wider and deeper. former student of Oxford’s Corpus Back at the Church Barn Christi College. we enjoyed what was On behalf of all participants, I would much more than the an- like to thank David Gooder and Mi- nounced Ploughman’s chael Heseltine for their generosity and Lunch. hospitality, and to Tour Director Shaun In the afternoon we visited Haddock for organizing these memora- the north side of the estate. ble Oak Open Days. We saw the walled garden that includes a vegetable Christof Van Hulle garden, pleached fruit A detailed report on the 2016 UK OODs trees, ornamental borders, will appear in next year’s issue of Interna- tional Oaks. Quercus look at Thenford. © Shaun Haddock F bt~ axãá 9 aÉàxá Quercus Quest – My Ongoing Journey With Louisiana Live Oaks was introduced to black-and-white I photography as part of my journal- istic studies in college and, upon grad- uation, my interest simply grew over time. In the summer of 1985, I re- turned home to Louisiana from my first Friends of Photography workshop in Carmel, California. The Friends was founded in 1967 by Ansel Adams and a group of close friends that included Brett Weston, Morley Baer, Liliane de Quarters Oak Alley, Evergreen Plantaon, Edgard, Louisiana. © William Guion Cock, and Beaumont and Nancy Newhall. Their goal was to promote pered to me in a distinct haunting Live Oak Society – to preserve and photography and related education. voice. So I photographed live oaks, protect the most senior members of Between 1985 and 1995, I attended again and again. The more I slowed this live oak species, and he listed 43 several more Friends workshops. At my pace to match that of the oaks, the such centenarian oaks with which he one, instructor Morley Baer suggested more they revealed about their unique was familiar. From this first project, I that, if I wanted to make stronger, character and moods. As I became set a personal goal to photograph the more meaningful images, I should pick more attentive to the minute changes 100 oldest live oaks on the Society’s something that I love and photograph it of light and shadow under their limbs, registry. And to document my pro- again and again: “Follow what your I was awed by the beauty of these pri- gress, I began a blog, titled “The 100 heart is drawn to,” he said, “and in meval-like trees and their relationship Oaks Project.” time, your feelings will begin to show to the Southern landscape. Last year, 2015, marked 30 years that through in your work.” My early photographic work was I’ve been photographing live oaks and When I looked around my native Loui- largely influenced by the West Coast 10 years since I began The 100 Oaks siana, I was drawn most to the sprawl- large-format black-and-white approach Project. Though I had photographed ing shapes of native live oaks – Quer- to photography that was a predominant many old trees on the Society’s regis- cus virginiana. Individual oaks in part of the Friends of Photography try, there were still many others I had fields, oak groves, and the cathedral- style. To this day, I still use a 4” x 5” yet to locate. So to mark this personal like tunnels of oak alleys, all whis- view camera and black-and-white film milestone of 30 years, I set a goal for for many of my landscape subjects, 2015 to locate and photograph the very though in recent years I’ve begun us- oldest oaks in Louisiana – those trees ing lighter, more flexible digital and with girths of 30 feet or more. film cameras. These 30-foot-plus girth oaks are sig- After the devastating one-two blow of nificant for many reasons, but accord- Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in late ing to several local arborists I’ve con- 2005, I was horrified at the loss of sulted, oaks of this size are very likely many familiar live oaks. Even centu- between 400 and 500 years of age. ries-old trees were not invincible in This means that they predate European category 3 storms. So I turned my fo- settlement of the continent – before cus to these elder oaks in an effort to America was America. To me, these document them while they were still antiquarians are both cultural and his- alive. I began with the Live Oak Socie- toric landmarks that deserve a more ty’s first 43 inductee oaks – noted by significant place in the awareness of Dr. Edwin Lewis Stephens in an article the population and some minimal pro- he wrote for the Louisiana Conserva- tection. From what I’ve learned over tion Review titled, "I Saw in Louisiana 30 years of documenting oaks, aware- a Live Oak Growing." In his article, ness is the most important tool for tree Three Oaks in Fog, Manresa Retreat, Convent, Stephens proposed establishing the protection. If people realize a tree’s Louisiana. © William Guion G bt~ axãá 9 aÉàxá age and history, it gains value in their urban landscapes. Hoping to combine eyes and becomes worthy of preserva- the best characteristics from multiple tion. species, we have created a number of interesting hybrids, which we have I’ve also found that these oldest oaks been propagating and evaluating for are often the most “at risk” of being about 10 years. The ultimate goal of lost. Many of the trees’ original spon- this long-term project is to introduce sors (the people who first registered these superior hybrid oak selections them with the Live Oak Society) had into the nursery trade as named culti- died and surviving family members vars. were often less interested in the trees’ welfare. In some cases, the properties A reliable asexual propagation method where the trees were located had for oaks is crucial for meeting our changed owners and, without a living goals, and the UHI has been pursuing sponsor, the trees were forgotten, died, such a method for almost 20 years. We and some even removed to make way have been successful in utiliz- for development. ing a modified stool bed layering tech- nique, which is described in detail in I included in my search those oaks that International Oaks No. 27 (pp. 99- had been in the 26- to 30-foot girth 106), but the yield is too low for com- size when first registered, since I knew mercial applications. Tissue culture from experience that in 50 to 70 years, techniques are currently being devel- a mature live oak, if healthy, could New shoot growth ready for mulplicaon. oped as a means of rapid multiplication © Bryan Denig grow up to 10 feet or more in circum- of clonally propagated oaks. This prop- ference. Taking this into consideration, maintaining ideal humidity levels. agation method is of interest because it I narrowed my search from the Live They are kept in a growth room that is allows us to quickly produce large Oak Society registry to approximately controlled for temperature, photoperi- numbers of select genotypes. Greater 27 oaks in Louisiana that could be in od, and light intensity. The media that numbers of these clonally propagated the 30-foot girth category. By year’s the plants grow on are carefully creat- genotypes are currently needed so that end, I located, re-measured, and photo- ed to provide the right mixtures of we can perform trials to determine graphed 22 of those trees (plus two macro- and micro-nutrients, vitamins, which selections possess desirable which had never been registered with and plant hormones. All these factors characteristics. A successful tissue cul- Society). The reports of my ongoing add up to an extremely controlled envi- ture method also has great potential for quest with Quercus virginiana can be ronment, one that is designed to pro- commercial applications. found on my WordPress blog – The vide ideal growing conditions. 100 Oaks Project. What is plant tissue culture? The techniques associated with plant William Guion Plant tissue culture refers to various tissue culture can be used for many An extended version of this article can be techniques used to grow plant cells, diverse purposes. Our interest in plant found on the IOS website. For more infor- tissues, organs, or whole plants in vitro tissue culture at the UHI is for the pur- mation and to purchase prints, visit (“in glass”) on a nutrient medium. This pose of asexually propagating www.williamguion.com is done aseptically, meaning that the (cloning) our hybrid oaks. This type of containers are free from microorgan- plant tissue culture is often referred to isms, insects, etc. These containers, as micropropagation. Micropropaga- Oaks from Test Tubes: usually test tubes or small glass jars, tion takes advantage of a remarkable essentially act as tiny greenhouses, ability inherent in plant cells. Even just An Introduction to Oak a single cell is capable of multiplying Micropropagation and differentiating into an entire plant. ne research focus of the Urban When grown in vitro, plants adjust O Horticulture Institute (UHI) at their growth based on the media com- Cornell University involves the selec- positions. Media manipulation will tion, evaluation, and propagation of produce varied effects, such as root or superior plants for urban environ- shoot development, and typically the ments. Oaks are especially of interest, plants stay small-statured. This is im- as many Quercus can tolerate the vari- portant, as it allows them to be grown ous stresses associated with growing in New shoots a few weeks into mulplicaon cycle. in these confined spaces. Because of © Bryan Denig H bt~ axãá 9 aÉàxá the reduced size, these micropropagat- shoots have the highest affinity for eral buds to develop into shoots. This ed plants are often referred to as establishment in culture, but success procedure, along with manipulation of “plantlets.” Once planted outside of the has also been achieved using epicor- plant hormones in the medium, allows laboratory, the plantlet will once again mic buds forced from mature trees. For the oaks to grow continuously through- produce normal sized leaves and reas- the most part, our cultures have come out the year. During the multiplication sume its normal features. from the stock plants we used for our phase, the plantlets are transferred to stool bed propagation procedure. Be- fresh medium every two weeks. After Plant tissue culture may seem like a cause they are cut back each year, six weeks, there is enough shoot new technology, but it has been uti- these stock plants grow new stems growth for them to be divided. The lized on a commercial scale longer from the ground that exhibit shoots are cut into pieces as previously than one might ex- juvenile characteristics. We described, and the multiplication cycle pect. Since the collect the shoots early in the is repeated. This stage can go on indef- 1950s it has been a spring, when they are about initely. component of the half the thickness of a pencil orchid industry. STAGE III: In Vitro Rooting and between 5 and 10 cm in Woody plants have length. When it is desired to root the oak not been commer- plantlets, they are taken out of the mul- cially micropropa- STAGE I: Establishment tiplication cycle and go into the rooting gated as long as or- of Aseptic Cultures stage. After a complete multiplication chids, but today in After collecting suitable cycle, rather than dividing the plant- the United States shoots, we cut them into lets, shoots of sufficient length are se- there are wholesale small pieces (a few cm in lected for rooting. The lower leaves are laboratories produc- length) that possess at least removed, and these shoots are then ing a variety of trees A coppiced stock plant with one bud. In order to remove placed into a medium that contains a and shrubs. Birches, shoots appropriate for use in fungi, bacteria, etc., they rooting hormone. After a week, they apples, maples, li- ssue culture (putave hybrid Q. montana × geminata) undergo a soaking in etha- are transferred to another medium that lacs, and flowering © Bryan Denig nol, followed by a soaking has no hormones. It is here that the cherries are just a in a dilute bleach solution. Sterilizing plantlets develop roots, which usually few examples of the woody plants cur- everything around the oak shoot with- takes about a month. rently available from commercial mi- out harming the shoot itself can prove cropropagation companies. We are STAGE IV: Transplanting and difficult at times. After disinfection, unaware of any company currently Acclimatization (Hardening Off) the shoot is placed into a test tube and offering micropropagated oaks, but a is stuck into a medium that contains When sufficient roots have developed, handful of researchers around the plant hormones that induce shoot pro- the oak plantlets can be taken out of world have developed plant tissue cul- duction. Once shoots are produced the medium and potted up. Much like a ture protocols that have proven suc- (which may take a few months), the cutting or seedling, they will have to cessful with a small number of Quer- cultures are ready to be taken into the be managed with care until they be- cus species. multiplication stage. come acclimatized to the world ex How we micropropagate oaks vitro. Right now our research is fo- STAGE II: Multiplication cused on stages 0, I, and II, which we In traditional propagation, one seed or Once new shoots develop, the shoots believe to be the most difficult. Our one cutting usually results in one plant. are cut up, and all leaves and apical experience with stages III and IV is Using micropropagation, one small buds are removed. The shoots are then limited at this time, but we hope to do piece of stem can theoretically produce placed horizontally on fresh medium in more with them in the future. There is an infinite number of plants. The pro- jars. This is done to encourage the lat- still much work for us to do to in order cess of micropropagation is often bro- to develop a reliable method for micro- ken down into five stages, and what propagating oaks! follows is a summary of the stages as it relates to our work with oaks. Bryan R. Denig, STAGE 0: Stock Plant Selection and Miles Schwartz Sax & Preparation Nina L. Bassuk There are a number of factors that in- Additional photographs can be viewed on fluence successful initiation of plants the IOS website in the online version of into tissue culture. Not every shoot can this article. be taken into tissue culture. Juvenile Shoots at the start of the roong stage. © Bryan Denig I bt~ axãá 9 aÉàxá largest oak in the arboretum, planted in Oak Open Days in Argentina 1992, for a group photo. The afternoon was spent at a plantation that featured The first IOS Oak Open Day event Grigadale Arboretum many oaks and which, being close to south of the Equator took place April Grigadale’s lake, had suffered losses Day One took place at Grigadale Arbo- 22-24, 2016 in Argentina. Originally due to flooding last year. After tea we retum, whose oaks were planted by planned as a two-day event visiting the closed proceedings relatively early at late IOS member Duncan Cameron. two principal oak collections in South five o’clock, so as to leave time for the Activities began with a presentation America, a third day was added to in- 275-km drive to Coronel Pringles, that provided a brief introduction to the clude a visit to Argentina’s first com- where most participants spent the mercial truffle-oak night. plantation. A com- Estancia bined total of 55 San Miguel people attended the event, with several The next morning attendees participat- we convened at ing in one or two of Peter Laharra- the days: a core of gue’s arboretum 17 stayed the entire at Estancia San course and visited Miguel, where all three locations Peter began by (the metaphor is telling us of the apt, and indeed the history of the event might have property and the been called the Ar- arboretum, which gentine Oak Rally, includes impres- as participants cov- sive specimens of ered about 450 km OOD parcipants pose in front of Rhus typhina at San Miguel Arboretum. © Gustavo Belén many different getting from start- genera. Then the genus, under the title “An Invitation to ing point to end point, without count- group started trekking around the 100- Quercophilia.” The morning was spent ing travel to and from home!). The ha park, at first on foot then in vehi- meandering along the path that runs point of this particular OOD was not cles, including a large people-carrying through the quercetum, where estab- so much to get IOS members together trailer pulled by a tractor. The tour nat- lished trees of close to 100 taxa are as to spread the oak gospel to the unin- urally focused on the 114 oak taxa rep- closely packed into about 1 ha. High- itiated; while we had a full turnout of resented in 7 different querceta, but lights were a Quercus baloot, grown local members from Argentina and also took time to admire impressive from seed collected by Shaun Haddock Uruguay (four, one unable to come but specimens of “non-oaks.” Being fur- in Pakistan, and presumed to be the ex- ably represented by an enthusiastic ther inland than Grigadale, San Miguel situ champion of the species; a Q. den- stand in), members were far outnum- had advanced further into autumn with tata that has responded well to correc- bered by guests. many oaks that were turning color: a tive pruning; a thriving Q. ×warburgii jaw-dropping Q. alba won the beauty with mottled acorns; and contest with a Q. ×bebbiana a close a young Q. leucotri- runner-up. There was jubilation when chophora much admired acorns were spotted on a Q. nigra, ac- for the pale undersides of cording to Peter the first time this spe- its leaves. We saw a new cies had fruited in his collection. After plantation featuring Asian lunch we formed up for the group pho- species and ended the to in front of a striking backdrop of morning with an aperitif Rhus typhina. The afternoon tour took amongst a stand of Q. us to plantations seeded thanks to IOS palustris that were just seed exchanges, featuring impressive beginning to turn color. specimens of Q. crassipes, Q. coccin- We returned to the main ea, Q. shumardii, and Q. dentata, house for lunch, after among many others. The tour ended in which we convened under Peter’s polytunnel, crammed with Discussing contrasng Quercus robur Fasgiata Group specimens in a cork oak (Q. suber), the Grigadale. © Beth Dos Santos J bt~ axãá 9 aÉàxá last couple of years and some new de- velopments in the Citywide Arbore- tum. A short list of new plantings in- cludes Q. cornelius-mulleri, Q. blakei, Q. insignis, Q. berberidifolia, Q. ×alentejana, and Q. coccifera. In all, around 50 new oaks have been added to what was already one of the most comprehensive oak collections in the U.S. The City of Aiken has seen the benefit to the community and is now supplying rubber mulch mats for new plantings. In addition, the City is mulching two miles of older plantings, (where one can find a different oak species every 55 ft) as well as provid- ing regular weed control and mowing

Fall colors at San Miguel Arboretum, Quercus alba on the right. © Roderick Cameron seedlings grown from acorns picked up during the IOS Conference at The Aiken Revisited Morton Arboretum. To close the day, a Those who were fortunate enough to smorgasbord of acorns was offered to attend the OOD in Aiken, South Caro- all participants, with acorns from both lina in November 2013 will likely have collections we had visited: 47 different fond memories of the trees and the taxa in all. uniqueness of the city. The remaining Sunday saw us 150 km to the north- IOS members were able to later read west, in Espartillar, where we visited about the trip, the Aiken Citywide Ar- the 50-ha truffle-oak plantation of boretum, and Bob McCartney’s 30- Trufas del Nuevo Mundo. After an plus years of building one of the most introductory presentation where we diverse collections of trees and shrubs learnt about truffle production and the in the nation. During a recent vacation, characteristics of the commercial pro- my family and I stopped in to see Bob ject, we braved a stiff, chilly breeze to and catch up on the new oak plantings visit the plantation of over 20,000 since the 2013 OOD. There have been Quercus macrolepis with rubber mulch mat trees, principally Q. robur and Q. ilex. several exciting new plantings in the provided by the City of Aiken. © Ryan Russell It is an exciting time as the first truffles to keep these plantings looking great. are likely to be found soon, even this During my visit, Bob and I met with coming winter. Around several trees Aiken City Manager John Klimm and we could see the area of weed-free Assistant City Manager Stuart Beden- soil, known as brûlé (“burnt” in baugh. Mr. Klimm explained that they French), which indicates the presence are contemplating the creation of a of the truffle fungus underground. new position whose responsibilities Thanks are due to Peter Laharrague for would be identifying, documenting, receiving us at San Miguel with flaw- interpreting, publicizing, and facilitat- less logistics, and to the folk at Trufas ing maintenance of any trees designat- del Nuevo Mundo for sharing their ed as integral to the Aiken Citywide impressive project. It was a memorable Arboretum. Hopefully in the next year three days, and many seeds of “oak or so, Aiken will have a new employee enthusiasm” were sown. that can carry on the tradition and build upon the unique Aiken Citywide Roderick Cameron Arboretum. A detailed report on the Argentine OODs will appear in next year’s issue of Interna- tional Oaks. Quercus coccifera, a new addion to Aiken’s Ryan Russell Citywide Arboretum. © Ryan Russell K bt~ axãá 9 aÉàxá Species Spotlight squirrels. It has also been documented that the Iro- Quercus ilicifolia Wangenh. quois used the acorns to uercus ilicifolia is a little oak with ease menstrual cramps. Q a big name: bear oak. With such a The foliage of bear oaks powerful-sounding name one might is also of ecological sig- expect a towering giant of a tree with nificance – acting as a thick branches and large acorns. How- host for insects, birds, ever, bear oak is not an impressive be- and small mammals. Ruf- hemoth but a gnarled, branching shrub. fled grouse, in particular, Furthermore, this oak is not a sturdy, use thick colonies of bear long-lived survivor and seems quite oak for cover during persnickety in its choice of habitat. feather molts. Many rare and endangered species Nevertheless, it is an intriguing spe- Quercus ilicifolia leaves from a specimen on Crowder's cies. of Lepidoptera also use it Mountain, North Carolina. © Rebecca Dellinger‐Johnston as a larval host. In fact, Q. ilicifolia is a small tree, or shrub, bear oak stands have been reported to viving only 20-30 years. It has been that can reach 1-8 m in height. Its house one of the most diverse arrays of reported that bear oak is also sensitive name, which derives from Ilex (holly) insects of any oak in the oak-barren to salt spray, which further restricts it and folium (leaf), suggests that its community. from coastal areas. Thus, unlike its leaves have a holly-like appearance. “bear” namesake, Q. ilicifolia is not Bear oak is native to the North Ameri- However, bear oak leaves have little highly competitive nor is it enduring. resemblance to actual holly leaves, or can east coast, ranging from northern the so-called “holly oaks,” which have Maine to the mountains of Virginia. With all of these limitations, bear oak small leathery leaves. Rather, the While the species abruptly stops south hardly seems formidable – except in leaves of bear oak often resemble of Virginia border, there are two extant the presence of fire. Although its stems shade leaves of Q. velutina, with fewer populations of bear oak in North Caro- live roughly two or three decades, bear lobes (3-7) and bristle tips. Some three lina at Pilot Mountain and Crowder’s oak has a shallow root system that -lobed forms many even resemble Q. Mountain. Within its range, bear oak is sprouts rapidly after fire. Like many marilandica or Q. falcata. The leaves restricted to high mountain tops, rock scrub species, bear oak has adopted a are glossy and green, with beautiful outcrops, and pine barrens. It can also strategy of aggressive asexual repro- silvery hairs on the underside. The occur in disturbed woodlands – along- duction to produce new stem growth buds and twigs are likewise covered in side other shrubs and hardwoods such after fire and even colonize areas with small hairs. In the fall the foliage turns as black cherry, hickory, blueberry, sprouting clones. These clones emerge a fiery orange to purplish red. and huckleberry. Bear oak also shares from a shallow, irregularly shaped tap- a habitat with many other species of root, which often produces multiple Bear oak owes its memorable common oak: Q. coccinea, Q. falcata, Q. mon- lateral roots running just below the name to the bears that feed on its tana, Q. prinoides, Q. rubra, Q. stella- surface. This shallow, branching root acorns. Like most oaks, bear oak pro- ta, and Q. velutina. It is known to hy- system gives it an advantage to grow vides a rich source of nutrients for bridize with many of its Red Oak on barren outcrops where other species many species of wildlife including neighbors. cannot. bears, deer, wild turkey, and flying Within these mixed Although bear oak may not seem im- hardwood regions, bear pressive, it has still met the challenges oak requires open thick- of its environment with specific adap- ets to thrive due to its tations. Nevertheless, the species is high intolerance of currently listed as endangered due to shade. As a result, it is loss of habitat through fire suppres- often out-competed by sion. With additional management fast succession species through prescribed burns, this persis- such as maple and sas- tent little oak could reclaim the moun- safras. Bear oak also tain tops and continue supporting a prefers dry, acidic, nu- rich community of wildlife. trient-poor soils, which make it both slow grow- Rebecca Dellinger-Johnston Quercus ilicifolia in Aiken Citywide Arboretum, South Carolina. ing and short-lived, sur- © Rebecca Dellinger‐Johnston L bt~ axãá 9 aÉàxá Hybrid Highlight worthy specimen in the U.S. is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has Quercus ×heterophylla dimensions nearly identical to the F. Michx. grand European tree (16 ft circumfer- ence, 61 ft tall). This tree is believed to amed in honor of one of Ameri- N ca’s first botanists, John Bartram, be a direct descendant of a Q. Quercus ×heterophylla is known ×heterophylla grown by John Bartram on his property. by many as Bartram’s oak. This inter- esting hybrid can be found in the U.S. This is an attractive hybrid typically where the parent species Q. rubra and characterized by long, slender leaves Q. phellos overlap (essentially most of with 6-8 shallow lobes. Acorns are Dramac coloring on Quercus robur ‘Timuki’. the midwestern to southeastern states) typically small (3/8-1/2 in diameter) © Kurt Van Nieuwenhuyse with shallow, flattened cups. The acorns are usually light to medium ries, Bömer Nursery, and a few others. brown with dark striations. Seedling Quercus ×bebbiana ‘Taco’ trees will vary of course, some having larger leaves or larger acorns. This hy- ound in the late 1980s by Guy brid makes a pleasing street tree and F Sternberg in Springfield, Illinois, there exists a great opportunity to this selection was noted early on for its make superior selections. rapid growth rate and strong central leader. The rights to the tree were pur- Ryan Russell chased by Sternberg from the land- owner in June 1991. The parent plant is a spontaneous seedling that popped Detail of leaves of a Quercus ×heterophylla Cultivar Close-ups up in a narrow space between a paved growing in the Garden Kingdom of Dessau‐Wärlitz. parking lot (of a Taco Bell restaurant, © Andreas Gomolka Quercus robur ‘Timuki’ hence the cultivar name) and a steep his cultivar was selected by Rai- retention wall. Despite a tremendously and in collections. This hybrid can also T mond Cinovskis, from the Botani- restricted root zone, this tree has con- be found in Europe in arboreta and cal Garden of the Academy of Scienc- sistently put on a meter or more of private collections. One of the largest es, Salaspils, Latvia and was intro- growth each year. Leaves, caps, and European specimens stands in the Gar- duced by Silva Tarouca Research Insti- acorns favor the Q. alba parent but den Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz, Ger- tute for Landscape and Ornamental ‘Taco’ shows characteristics of each many. It measures over 15 ft in cir- Gardening, Průhonice, Czech Repub- parent in its makeup and its progeny. cumference and is 65 ft tall. A note- lic. It was named after the location in Lat- via where the original tree was found, a spontaneous seedling with outstand- ing purple foliage. The foliage keeps it purple color all season and will even darken (nearing black at times) as the season wears on. This selection was first propagated from the ortet in 1997 and was registered in the Czech Re- public in 2010. ‘Timuki’ was pub- lished in Enzyklopädie der Garten- gehölze (Bärtels 2001) and Acta Horti- culturae (2011). This selection is said to maintain a straight central leader and develop a pleasing pyramidal shape in youth, broadening to a typical decurrent shape at maturity. This selec- tion is offered only in Europe at this Quercus ×heterophylla showing good structure. time and can be found at Pavia Nurse- Ortet tree of Quercus ×bebbiana ‘Taco’ in © Ryan Russell Springfield, Illinois. © Guy Sternberg DC bt~ axãá 9 aÉàxá Fall color is generally tan-yellow in ferent printed formats (posters, cards tions and group discussions on a range most years and not spectacular, but the etc.), a scale model showing a suggest- of topics relating to MX & CAM oak tree’s resilience under adverse condi- ed display, as well as related work on species, which fell under three broad tions is the reason it was selected. This oaks I have produced over the years themes: in-situ conservation, ex-situ cultivar was registered in 2008, and an (drawings, paintings, installations)." conservation, and fundamental re- F2 seedling (‘Taco II’) has been select- More info at: search. The most significant outcome ed for its red fall color and is currently www.edinburghpalette.co.uk of the workshop was the establishment under evaluation. This plant was ini- of OACN. OACN has now committed tially offered in Europe via Pavia to writing a scientific paper outlining Nurseries, but is now available in the the importance of oaks and oak diver- United States as well from Forrest sity in MX & CAM and calling for Keeling Nursery and their online retail additional resources and effort towards branch G2Gardens. oak research and conservation. OACN has identified the urgent need for a Ryan Russell conservation gap analysis for oaks in MX & CAM, a protocol for which is now being developed by The Morton A Year of Oak Leaves Arboretum and the Global Trees Cam- Study for The Oak Year by Anne Gilchrist. paign (a joint initiative between Botan- he Oak Year, an artwork by Scot- ic Gardens Conservation International T tish artist Anne Gilchrist, will be and Fauna & Flora International). showing for two days at Edinburgh Oaks of the Americas OACN has also identified critical Palette, 151 London Road, Edinburgh, training and capacity building needs, UK. It comprises 24 painted panels 5 ft Conservation Network especially in the area of oak taxonomy × 4 ft and depicts portraits of many and field identification. Specific con- hundreds of oak leaves from real speci- new professional network is be- ing formed by botanists and con- servation opportunities are being iden- mens from an oak wood on the shore A tified and collaborative projects in- of Loch Tay, Perthshire. It shows a servationists from across North and Central America. Oaks of the Ameri- volving OACN members are now un- whole year's worth of leaves, and the derway. Follow up workshops and oak close observational depiction shows cas Conservation Network (OACN) is a consortium of experts from universi- -focused conference sessions are being variety of shape, size, predation, au- planned for the future (e.g., Associa- tumn colors, first leaves, and winter ties, botanical gardens, arboreta, indus- fallen leaves. Each leaf in The Oak try, conservation Year is painted from a real specimen, NGOs, and government all from one oak wood. agencies dedicated to protecting threatened "Having started in April 2014, this oak species from ex- work is now finished," says Anne tinction. OACN was Gilchrist. "It is made up of many hun- first conceived at the dreds of individual oak leaves painted International Workshop from real-life specimens gathered on Oak Conservation week by week. Each leaf's portrait is (March 13-16, 2016), my immediate response to color, form, where 50 experts from Parcipants of the Internaonal Workshop on Oak Conservaon. and character. In painting each leaf I seven countries con- left a trace of my observations and ex- vened at the Escuela Nacional de Estu- tion for Tropical Biology and Conser- periences, a trail of time passing dios Superiores at UNAM in Morelia, vation in Merida, Mexico in 2017). For through growth and change and decay. Mexico. The objective of the work- more information about the Interna- The whole year is now represented, shop was to facilitate collaborations tional Workshop on Oak Conservation from tiny emergent leaves breaking the and catalyze action for oak conserva- and OACN, please contact Murphy monotonous brown of winter, through tion in Mexico and Central America Westwood (mwestwood@ the bright green of spring, the tough, (MX & CAM) by identifying critical mortonarb.org). The international dark leaves of summer, the color bursts knowledge gaps, defining conservation workshop was organized and support- of autumn, and back again to the objectives, prioritizing next steps, and ed by The Morton Arboretum, UNAM, browns of winter. I am showing all strengthening the network of oak re- and the University of Minnesota. these panels at Edinburgh Palette search and conservation experts. The alongside examples of the work in dif- workshop agenda included presenta- Murphy Westwood

DD bt~ axãá 9 aÉàxá Saying goodbye to ably had more compartments than vey our membership about that. A sur- Michael Heathcoat Amory most: only a tiny proportion of the 600 vey was included in the last issue of present was from the “oak world,” and The Cupule. Just 7 members answered round 600 people, undampened I was reminded of the considerable the survey. I am sure we can do better A by light rain, came together on significance of his business life when, than that. Check the following URL: June 29 at St. Luke’s church in Sydney awaiting my return flight home at http://bit.ly/2b1h8le. Alternatively, Street, Brompton, London, for a ser- Heathrow airport, I realised I was sit- drop me an email. vice in memory of Michael Heathcoat ting opposite two enormous advertise- Speaking about The Cupule, if you do Amory, who for many years was in ments for Jupiter, his investment com- not receive it (and the last quarterly every sense a towering figure in the pany. Nevertheless, we quercophiles issue was our tenth), it means that we oak world. It is fair to say that his en- were privileged to inhabit a compart- have no email address on file for you couragement and sponsorship have ment of great importance to him and or, more probably, that your SPAM immeasurably enriched the diversity of which absorbed his interest and gave filter blocks our emails. This is notably oak species now grown in Europe: his him pleasure until the end of his life. the case for all members with an friendliness and approachability will Adieu, Michael. AT&T or baby bell email address. Add continue to be greatly missed by both IOS email addresses in your contact novice and expert, but at least there Shaun Haddock list. This might solve the problem. For will always remain as his memorial the The Cupule, the address is oak collection at Chevithorne Barton. [email protected]. During the service, led by the Rever- From the Board To contact me, please write to end Brian Leathard, friends and three he Board held its Spring e-meeting [email protected] generations of family offered moving T in April (given that Board Mem- Charles Snyers eulogies or readings in celebration of bers reside in different countries on his rich life, from his youth when sport three continents, we use a Forum on took precedence over academia (and our website to conduct Society mat- throughout his life he never lost his ters). I am sorry to report that our new- Tours Update competitive urge) to the middle years est Board Member, Robert Routon, The UK Oak Open Days were well of his love for his family, his addiction resigned from the Board invoking the attended, with 30 members attending to fishing, his travels, his business in- workload as not compatible with the on one or both days (see report by terests; and finally his later years and demands of his employment. The re- Christof van Hulle on page 1). the inescapable difficulties of his ill- sponsibility of membership manage- To my surprise, there is still space on ness. A visceral poem by Ted Hughes ment has been reassigned to the Secre- conjured the very essence of fishing; a Mike Meléndrez’s amazing New Mex- tary of the IOS, Gert Fortgens, but the ico Tour this fall, September 24th to poem by his grandchildren ended with workload itself was distributed among the touching line: ‘But whenever we 29th. You could ask for no better guide several Board Members. For all mem- to the area and its oaks, so snap up a see an oak tree, we’ll know that you’re bership management matters, write to still here’. place right now at [email protected]. [email protected]. Oaks, a driving passion, were a facet of And remember that renewing your Mike is still working on an exact price Michael’s varied life represented admi- membership in time saves us a lot of as he is negotiating group discounts for rably in a eulogy by Tony Kirkham, time and effort. the accommodation, but to let you Head of the Arboretum at the Royal We also have two new Committee work out a ball-park figure, US$70 to Botanic Gardens, Kew, who began by Members: Dirk Giseburt from Wash- $90 per night for accommodation relating amusingly his first meeting ington State, USA joined the Editorial (discounts may subsequently reduce with Michael who, having heard of Committee and Francisco Vázquez this), and a figure of around $1,500 for Tony’s forthcoming visit to Taiwan, Pardo from Spain joined the Taxono- two mini-buses will be shared between promptly buttonholed him and pro- my Committee. I thank them both. up to 30 participants, thus, depending ceeded to pressgang him into searching on final numbers, somewhere between for the rare endemic Quercus taro- Roderick Cameron covered key agenda $50 and $100 per person plus gas for koensis. Somewhat overawed, Tony felt items of the Board Meeting in the June the tour. obliged to claim some knowledge of issue of The Cupule, our electronic newsletter. I will just mention two of the species and its location; by blessed Shaun Haddock happenstance he was let off the hook these: The Board approved the full 2015 fi- when it subsequently transpired to be Points of Contact on the itinerary previously planned by nance report. The report is available on his Taiwanese contacts. our website. I encourage you to read it Submissions for the Newsletter All our lives, to some degree, are lived (see http://bit.ly/2b9ecUW). Roderick Cameron - Ryan Russell in different compartments, and perhaps The Board also discussed the venue of [email protected] only the closest of family or friends get the 10th International Oak Society Submissions for the Journal even the merest glimpse into them all. Conference. We envisaged holding it Béatrice Chassé - Allen Coombes Michael, with his wide interests, prob- in the Far East, but we wanted to sur- [email protected]

DE