Although, I like oaks in general, my favorite is the white oak--there is something about the leaf...and the mature tree as well. A few years ago--before I started this blog, I think--I bought and planted a three foot tall white oak seedling. The first year, as it was leafing out, we had a late FREEZE--I figured it would not need protection, but found most of its tender leaves dead from the freeze. (Oaks are hard woods that are some of the last to leaf out...the other trees already full of leaves were fine.
The oak sent out leaves a second time from auxiliary buds...the following year it leafed out again--and again we had an unusual freeze late spring. Again, it leafed out a second time--I'm sure this drained its energy. The following year (last spring)the three foot seedling didn't leaf out and the wood was dead. I'd given up on it. However, last week I spotted a small branch from the bottom of the trunk with viable buds! Needless to say I was thrilled.
Today, I saw a white oak leaf blown in from somewhere nearby--I was thrilled to see that there are some nearby and they may make their way to our woods. If not, there is still hope for the one I bought. I tucked the leaf I found at the base of my seedling.
(I'm *guessing* that the acorns I planted are red oak...I'll know more if they germinate. There is also a young, medium-sized red oak on the property...so, I won't have to wait TOO long for acorns of our own.)
No comments:
Post a Comment