This week, a question about oaks.
Q: I have planted every kind of oak on my property that I can find – I love oak trees and have some acreage. I have Shumard red oaks, bur oaks, water oaks, Texas red oak, chinquapin oak, and Monterrey oak on my property. Every post oak I’ve dug up to move to the property has failed. What other types of oak – other than live oaks, because their shape is so random and I want something upright – can I plant around here?
A: This was an unusual question, but we love oak trees too, so it’s a fun one.
Post oaks are difficult to transplant. Their root systems do not like to be disturbed. If you want to make a go of post oaks on acreage, it’s probably best to collect and plant some post oak acorns and simply be very patient. Another oak you haven’t mentioned is the Lacey oak, a smaller growing oak with a leaf reminiscent of post and bur oak leaves. Those are uncommon, but we stock them often.
But going back to live oak, one of the cornerstones of oak plantings in our area, not all live oaks are the same. ‘Empire’ live oaks are far more regular in shape, with a stronger upright habit and better branching. If you want a wonderful choice in a larger, taller growing oak tree, it’s a superior selection.