Description

Oak Trees

Oak trees are a very important component of healthy forests in North America. The acorns, known as mast to wildlife managers, are the primary food source for deer and turkeys during the winter months. The summer leaves feed the larvae of hundreds of species of insects with White Oak trees feeding more moth and butterfly caterpillars than any other plant in North America.

Oaks are great shade trees. Being natives, they are adapted to our climate and soils. They are large strong long lived trees that throw a deep satisfying shade.

Below is a description of the oaks we grow.

Bur Oak

The Bur Oak is a majestic oak that with space will grow to 80′ tall and 80′ wide. It is hardy in zones 3 to 8.
Bur Oaks produce acorns as large as walnuts that are preferred by wildlife.
Truly an estate tree.

 

 

 

 

Dwarf Chinkapin Oak

Dwarf Chinkapin Oak, his tough little tree bears acorns at a very young age for an oak tree. These trees are known to bear acorns in three to four years. The acorns are sweet and very attractive to wildlife, particularly deer and turkeys. This tree should be included every food plot plan.

Dwarf Chinkapin Oak, Quercus prinoides, is a dwarf version of the Chinkapin White Oak, Quercus muehlenbergii. The Dwarf Chinkapin is adapted to difficult growing conditions. It can live and thrive on sandy ground and shale ground, acid soils where other trees struggle. In prairie regions it is found on sandy and gravelly moraines. In other areas it lives on bony ridge tops and shale hillsides where other trees have difficulty growing. With protection from competition it will grow well on good soil. Being a dwarf tree leaves it susceptible to being shaded out by taller trees.

Its low growth habit and tendency to be bushy and thick adds cover in open areas. Cover, shade and food are all attributes needed in a wildlife habitat. These oaks are regular bearers of large crops of sweet acorns. The acorns are small and both deer and turkeys seek them out.

Consider  the Dwarf Chinkapin Oak on any site  as a part of a food plot program. Their ability to grow under difficult conditions make them worth the extra effort to get them established on a difficult site. Having a reliable annual mast producer growing along natural wildlife  travelways is never a bad thing to have.

 

Sawtooth Oak

Sawtooth Oak is a member of the White oak family that will begin to produce
acorns in 3 to 5 years. A native of Japan this fast growing Oak is an excellent
choice for a Permanent Food Plot. Sawtooth Oak is hardy in zones 6 to 9.

 

 

 

 

White Oak

White Oak is a major forest tree in the Eastern United States. The name comes from the silver grey bark and in early spring the new growth appears white against the green backdrop of other trees. While not a bee tree, White Oaks are support the larvae of more moth and butterfly species than any other eastern tree species. The nuts are sweet and low in tannins and are a favorite hard mast for wildlife.

Its leaves are one of the last to color in the fall. As the cool deepens, a few red leaves begin to appear mixed in the still green foliage. Then, with the first hard freeze the tree turns a deep burgundy red. Young trees may hold their brown leaves until spring providing shelter for roosting birds.

Growth is slow to medium. The tree form is straight and tall with forest competition and broad and rounded when grown in the open. These trees can live for many hundreds of years. There are several around that were large trees at the founding of the country.

The wood is hard, heavy and dense. The sapwood is white and the heartwood is a pleasant tan color. White Oak from the mid-south and lower midwest is in great demand in Europe as a close substitute for the European Oak. The heartwood is rot resistant due to its interesting cell structure. The phloem tubes with carry nutrients and water up and down the tree are walled off in White Oak which keeps the wood from wicking water from exposed ends. The ship, Old Ironsides, was clad in thick boards of New England White Oak and it is said cannonballs bounced right off it.

The trees have been “logged out” from some areas and in places are now uncommon. This makes a majestic yard or estate tree and will be a welcome addition to any forest restoration. Consider the White Oak when planning your tree planting not only for beauty but also for wildlife and the diversity of insects they support. White oaks can be the foundation for rebuilding diversity in a neighborhood or forest.