MARCH 1992 of the INTERNATIONAL. ISSUE NO. 1, MARCH, 1992 AN IN1RODUCTION FROM TilE EDITOR soczety As editor, I would like to welcome all our readers to this first publication of the International L Oak Society Journal. Given adequate time and opportunity, I anticipate that many more are to follow. Most of the articles included are of an introductory nature, to ease our way into the horticultural arena before getting involved with exact specifics ancl scientific debate. Since this is an international organization, I have tried to include a diversity of material that might circumspect the continuity of the whole. But I feel strongly that the articles are stimulating and worthy of bringing together in this flfSt Steven Roesch, Founder & Seed Distributor issue. It was also important to get this journal published so that more people could get involved and 14780 Kingway Drive, New Berlin, WI, contribute their knowledge on the wonderful genus Quercus. 53151, U.S.A. The I.O.S. evolved out of a very informal correspondence and seed exchange between Steven Roesch Susan Cooper, Co-Founder in America and Susan Cooper in England. As they exchanged miscellaneous seeds, their requests centered Churchfields House, Cradley, Nr. Malvern, around on species in particular, namely oaks, and thus began the I.O.S. Mr. Roesch took it upon himself Worcester, WR13 5LJ, England to contact people around the world who were interested in oakS and to set up a network of seeds. When I got involved in tbe I.O.S. I saw the need for centralization and some kind of literature that could unite its Guy Sternberg, Co-Organizer members. I sent letters to addresses that Steven Roesch had given me, asking for help and contrioutions Starhill Forest Arboretum, Route 1, Peters­ to what was at first suggested as the I.O.S. Journal. burg, ll- 62675, U.S.A. On future publications, we hope to spotlight at least on oak species and try to involve ourselved more M. Nigel Wright, Journal Editor thoroughly into the science of propagating and growing oaks. We would also like to promote our seed 1093 Ackermanville Road, Pen Argyl, PA, exchange and encourage our readers to write to each other and explore the numerous species of oaks 18072, U.S.A. available. We - the members of the International spring. as with most Oaks) and if moved Oak Society - arc very excited about the AMERICAN OAKS IN THE LANDSCAPE when two inches or less in diameter. it newly named National Tree of the United recovers quickly. Once established. it is States: the genus Quercus! 1f you are quite drought resistant. concerned ahoutglobal warming. you prob­ ably know that planling more trees is some­ The fast-growing Q. ntbra can be­ thing that we all can do to help. llowever. come one of our largest deciduous trees in a even with mass1ve reforestation efforts. our relj~tively short time. It is amenable to most climate situation will deteriorate fuxthcr average soils, but will respond best to its before it begins to stabilize. During the favorite - rich. well drained. moist, cool Quercus lyraJa expected lifetimeoftheshade trees that you clay-loam. l be acorns are variable in size might plant nellt spting. our antbl"opogenic and shape from provenance to provenance greenhouse effect may force U1e natural and from tree to tree. I cunenlly am testing ranges of many mesic tree species norU1 into progeny at Starhill f orest from individual Canada. if they survive at all. So. if you live wcll-fonned trees with large acorns (for in an area where such trees may be in jeop­ mast production) as well as some with small ardy, increase your odds by planting tougher acorns (for smaller birds and for landscape species U1at arc ada peel to the projected shift use with minimal litter problems). and sev­ in climate isopleths -- PLANT OAKS l eral researchers are making selections for limber production as well. Oak trees are an ancient aud diverse having its pendent. persistent lower limbs erymen now recogniZe lbts market and I eel tribe comprised of species that coUecti vely usurp the entire lawn. Its low. twiggy growU1 comfortable investing in the production of This species is one of our hardiest will thrive in the best but handle many of frequently becomes a traffic hazard in bou­ such species. As tbe public becomes ever Oaks. growing naturally (with somewhat t.be worst. planting sites we have to offer. levard paintings. more aware of true "value" landscaping. the reduced stature) as far nort.h as Lake St. As early as 1924, the famous Oak student. supply/demand spiral will bring slill more John, Quebec. For more southerly regions. William Trelease. had recorded 371 Quercus The species also is notoriously intol­ diversity to tbe Quercus sections of nursery and especially where poor soil or imperfect species in the Western llcmisphere. Most erant of high pH soils. a trait which fre­ catalogs. drainage is a concern. Q. slwmardii of U1em occur in Ole Nearctic Realm. crueny quently is not expressed until the tree is well (Shumard Oak) is an almost identical sub­ in the United S tates and Mexico. The genus established in the landscape with its roots stitute. AnoUler closely related. beautiful OAKS FOR TODAY - BLACK OAKS includes ecological generalists U!at are exploring beyond the l!ansplanted. acidic southern species useful in poor. dry soiJs is t.Suhgenus Erytllrobt1lanus) broadly adapted as well as specialists tai­ nursery soil ball. Suddenly one swnmer. Q. falcata. the Southern Red Oak. which lored to some ofour most severe sites. f rom perhaps with U1e catalytic effect of the has particularly attractive foliage on se­ a landscape horticulture perspective. let's drought, the hapless homrowner might dis­ 1l1e Black (or Red) Oak subgenus is lected individuals. For those dry soil concli­ review some of the better known and most cover that he bas planted a chlorotic invalid purely American. being endemic to the tions of the North, Q. velutina (Eastern promising examples. of a tree that must be acidified, chelatcd. Western Hemisphere. It includes many of Dlack Oak) is a hardy tree with spectacular injected or replaced. Except for thvse who Ole faster growing and most color.ful species foliage, from scarlet budbreak Lhrough AN OAK FROM YESTERDAY have moist, acidic soil and plenty of ground­ of Quercus. One of Ole earliest Oaks to glossy maturity to runber sensecence. It is level growing space to accommodate its follow Q. palustris into populruity through­ more prone to decay than some others, In the past. "Oak" unfortunately has drooping lower branches, the overused Q. out much of the United States has been Q. U10ugh. and should be trained when young meant "Pin Oak" (Quercus pt~lustris) to pt~lustris should be considered the Oak of rubra. the Northern Red Oak. It is a band­ into a strong growth form with a single many people. Quercus palustris is a the past. some, pollution-resistant species with a clean dominant leader. nurseryman's l!ee: easy to propagate; easy branching pattern, good crimson or ocher to transplant; fast growing; and naturally For the 1990's and beyond. there are fall color and attractive dark bark that devel­ Those who seek a tree more reminis­ blessed with a marketable. excun-entgrowth oilier Oaks that truly are outstanding per­ ops smooth tidges which almost appear as cent of the conical Q. polrmris might try Q. habit. Jlowever, the tree must be pruned formers. Demand for quality landscape stripes on vigorous specimens. The tree is coccinea (Scarlet Oak) on upland or sandy into a lollipop to fi t the average yard without trees is increasing so that progressive nurs- relatively easy to trao.~plant (in the early sites, or the fast-growiug Q. nutallii (Nuttall Oak) on heavy soils and low ground. when brought into cultivation at a young many landscapes, from prairie groves and well here in lllinois under cultivation. It Both trees are brilliantly colored in autumn age or grown from seed; do not attempt to savannas to both upland and riparian for­ will be interesting to compare their sizes and closely resemble Q. palustris in form transplant wildings of any size, though, ests, it ranges from the Texas Gulf coast to and growth forms in a few hundered years! and foliage. unless you are equipped to dig to China! the latitude of Reindeer Island in Lake Other ''scrub" Black Oaks, including Q. Winnipeg, Manitoba! Throughout this vast Quercus macrocarpa is named for the Another very good choice within sub· ilicifolia (Bear Oak), Q. georgiana (Stone range, Q. macrocarpa is the archetype of tangerine-sized fruits ofsome southern prov­ genus Erythrobalanus for landscape use is Mountain Oak) and Q. laevis (furkey oak) permancence and venerability. enances, particularly those in the Wabash Q. imbricaria (Shingle Oak). Admittedly also can be domesticated into attractive small ; Valley of Dlinois and Indiana. However, inferior for timber purposes, this species trees where they are adapted and available It begins life as a slow-growing, awk­ like those of Q. rubra, the acorns vary seems to have been created purely for orna­ locally. They all have beautiful fall color, ward, sparsely branched sapling - the ugly considerably in size among different ceo­ mental horticulture. Its uniform, dense oval ranging from russet·orange of Q. duckling ofOaks. Then it attains a diameter types. They can be so sweet that selections growth habit also is comparible to Q. marilandica to scarlet in some of the oll1ers of about three inches and starts a transfor­ have been made for nut tree orchard plant­ palustris, but more rounded and less pendu­ and are impervious to drought For those so mation into a rugged, massive monarch ing.