Archive for the ‘Oaks (Quercus spp.)’ Category

Leaf Retention In Landscape Trees

              Most deciduous landscape trees drop their leaves sometime in autumn. The physiology of autumn leaf drop is primarily stimulated by changes in photoperiod or shorter daylength. Autumn colors develop and the leaf petioles form an abscission layer. Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), for example, start to color up in early September. Winter leaf retention by […]

Tree Diversity Important In Urban Parks And Streets

              In recent years urban tree diversity has become a buzz topic. The threat of losing entire street plantings to a deadly exotic disease or pest has to often become the reality. Nearly a century ago, urban tree-lined thoroughfares were laid bare by losses of American elms (Ulmus americana) and […]

Should You Plant In Fall?

            Should you plant in the Fall? It depends what region you live in, what month in fall, and what species you’re planting. If you live in the mid-Atlantic, coastal New England, or Southeastern U.S., fall is an excellent time to set most hardy plants. Most (not all) trees, shrubs, perennials, […]

The Mighty Bur Oak

Bur oak or mossycup oak (Quercus macrocarpa), aka blue oak and mossy overcup oak, is a majestic native oak native to the midwest and eastern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). It a member of the white oak group (rounded leaf lobes, no bristly tips). This large sized deciduous oak grows 60-80 feet tall with a […]

Swamp White Oak Gaining In Popularity

Swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor) is an underutilized large native oak whose ornamental attributes have captured the attention of municipal arborists (and perhaps you as well). (USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8). Swamp white oak is a medium to large sized deciduous shade tree, 50 to 60 feet tall and wide, and a broad, irregularly […]

English Oak Demands A Moist Well-drained Soil

Thinking about English oak (Quercus robur) brings to mind Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest. This majestic oak forms a broad spreading crown supported by a short sturdy trunk with a medium-brown, deeply-fissured bark (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). A young tree exhibits a pyramidal form. In a city park or golf course, it typically grows 50-70 […]

Moving Large And Mature Trees

Perhaps tree lovers can’t plant wonderful trees such as shagbark hickory (Carya ovata), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), or white oak (Quercus alba). They can purchase property with the tree(s) growing on them. Most nurseries do not grow these difficult species or guarantee their success after planting. But, all is not lost! Modern nurseries, backed by […]

Planting Trees for Future Generations

Oaks, beeches, hickories, ginkgoes, bald cypresses, redwoods, chestnuts and others are trees that future generations inherit from previous generations. In human terms, it takes a lifetime to grow an acorn into a mighty oak. Many tree species live hundreds of years, often asking little and contributing much beauty, summer cooling shade, winter heating comfort as windbreaks, and a […]