Oak outside lobes on reds have spikes on them and on white they round inside lobes too but not as important. That leaf is too spoken for post. Post oak ends are like a 3 leaf clover big and fat
I see what you mean. I can pick out the basic reds and whites but when they don't look like either I don't know what to look at to differentiate them.
Searching the internet for oak ID can get confusing; as there's so many different types. But, most of those are down south - there's really only a handful of types in our zone, and most have 'traditional' oak shaped leaves. (This is where the book comes in handy.) I think about the only exception (in our zone) is Chestnut Oak - which lacks the lobe arrangement that's normally found in an oak leaf.
If you want a hard to identify oak leaf, how about a shingle oak? They are pretty common around here. Obviously a part of the white oak family with those smooth leaves.
Redfin - I don't think you'll have better success with seedlings than with acorns. In central PA there are plenty of places where you can collect lots of acorns and simply spread them around. I'd gather as many as possible and plant them by scattering and maybe stepping on them to push them into soft ground. Acorns won't be fully developed until fall. The ones that fall to the ground now are not viable, I suspect. I'd look for a park or yard with lawn under oaks, where they will be easy to collect. I am sure you know some people who have to dispose of thousands of acorns every fall and would be more than happy to let you collect a barrel full.
We had collected many last year that where already sprouting. Most were found in a gravel parking lot. Thats what had me so baffled why they did not survive. We used good top soil and just lightly covered as if nature had planted them.
One word of warning on white oak acorns is that if you try to store them in containers, you'll soon have worms crawling out of the acorns. Keep this in mind for sending through the mail. On planting. We've had some luck both just throwing acorns out (but not in the woods. In the open areas so squirrels don't get them) and also planting them. On planting, we do that in the spring. Watch in early spring and when they begin to sprout, that is the time to put them where you want them and the window for doing this is very short. When planting, if the area is grassy, it is best to work up the ground in about a 2' diameter circle and plant in the center. Try to keep grass and weeds away the first year. You may have to water, depending on the year and the soil. I have not had any better luck when trying to fertilize so we just don't. Probably the easiest ones we've had to grow is pin oak. These are nice too because they grow fairly quick. Also, if you want oak trees for deer, keep in mind that deer don't like red oak acorns usually when they first fall because they are bitter but later on after the fall rains then they'll eat some if the turkeys don't get them first. However, even though a pin oak is in the red oak family, the deer will eat these right when they fall. If you have any need for more acorns, I can help but it sounds as if you have plenty of offers. We have red, white and pin.
I like whites backwood, really like burs and swamp white oak if you have those and I would like to try some pins doesn't sound like anyone has any of them. Pins produce acorns young?
My two biggest, both whites. These pics don't do justice to their Bohemethness. All this talk about oaks made me wanna go for a ride through the sticks and take a gander. I wonder how old these could be?
lol, I'm such a jackash, I honestly had to stare at that pic just to figure out what you meant. Yes I have ash saplings everywhere, sad thing is they won't survive long.
We'll save you some pin oak acorns this year if there are any. I haven't yet checked on this year's acorn crop except to know the reds are dropping but there is nothing to them so far. Probably just dropping because of the super dry year we're having. It will probably mean no many acorns at all this year but we'll see. I have noticed a lot of oaks really showing signs of stress. We have a couple right in front of the house and the leaves are already turning brown. This is not good.
Well squirrels dug up my 2 burs I was gonna plant in the fall. Got the live catch out, gonna perform some baptisms tomorroe
Blackop555 I was checking a few pin and white oaks today. I did not find even one acorn. I feared this with the super day year we've had. I doubt the reds will be good either. I've seen some drop but very small and all caps; no meat. Just one of those years here.
