Too tall? Here are a few oaks that are smaller

Victor asked about oaks that don't reach the dimensions typical for canopy shade trees. Here's a few I'm familiar with that should be serviceable for the eastern US gardener. A little research should reveal whether these plants will perform well for others who don't reside in this region.

Quercus georgiana Georgia oak

Quercus glandulifera Korean oak

Quercus fusiformis Scrub live oak

Quercus marilandica Blackjack oak

As one might imagine, these are rarely offered in retail commerce. A bit of searching will find them online, and some field work may turn up free acorns at gardens/cemeteries/arboreta where diverse collections exist.

What are some other species of Quercus that folks are familiar with that might "fit" in more constrained landscapes?

I think that Quercus gambelii, Gambel Oak, should fit the small tree/shrub criteria nicely.
Mike

Quercus prinoides - Dwarf Chinkapin Oak

and for southern folks...
Quercus laevis - Turkey Oak

What would be the outer limits of canopy size? Texas Live Oak, Quercus fusiformis, is described as having a canopy up to 40 feet wide. That may be, but it is also very difficult to find a true O. fusiformis as it readily hybridizes with O. virginiana. We have about 40 acres of mixed hardwoods on the ranch, mainly live oaks which are mostly hybrids somewhere between the two species. The few whose circumference we have measured, have had a circumference between 17 and 25'. They grow very well in a variety of soil types and pH. Live oaks are supposed to prefer alkaline soil, but we have hugh healthy live oaks growing side by side with post oaks in acidic soil.

http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/bio406d/images/pics/fag/quercus_fusiformis.htm

Quercus marilandica is not a very pretty tree and is considered a trash tree in some places. There are other trees with a better profile.

Even smaller: Bear Oak Quercus ilicifolia; only 6m tall maximum:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233501046

Resin

I agree with all of bettydee's summary above -- as they apply to TX and those plants' native haunts. Victor is upstate NY, though, and these species will behave quite differently for him (as they do here) on much different soils and climate.

I also like the additions of Q. gambelii, Q. prinoides, and Q. ilicifolia which are species I've seen but not grown myself.

There's a Q. mongolica at the U of Minn. arb that was planted in the early '60's and is only 30'-35' tall, with a spread of around 20'. Its a dapper small-medium oak, but probably very dificult to find in commerce. I think it grows taller in its native haunts, but after more than 40 years this one has stayed compact.

I got this plant from Gossler's Farm Nursery a couple of years ago. The description is pasted from there catalog. They didn't mention that the new growth is pink.

QUERCUS - DENTATA - PINNIDIFIDA
This Japanese or Chinese native large shrub or small tree has the most amazingly different leaves. The oak leaves don't look like any oak we have ever seen. The leaves are 10 inches long and are lobed to the midrib. The first time we saw Q. d. 'Pinnitifida' we thought phillodendron, not oak. Just this summer we have seen plants in several gardens in the Northwest.

There are a couple of Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida' in KY that I've seen over the years, the first being an older plant at Bernheim Arboretum. I'd describe it as being similar to Morus alba 'Nuclear Blast', with basically shredded-looking foliage since there is almost no leaf surface but pretty much only the leaf veins with some edging.

Gardeners should expect this one to be an extremely slow grower, since it has little to photosynthesize with. Definitely a collectors type of plant. The Bernheim specimen was a grafted individual and a weak grower. I'm not sure that it still survives in the collection.

Here's a link to a pic of the species Quercus dentata leafing out at the Valley:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/149547/

Here's a picture of some tiny oaks in Arches National Park in Utah. I think they're the Quercus gambelii that Mike mentioned above, but I'm no good at identification. These were only about 2 feet high. Peg

Upon reading your description of Q. dentata, I immediately put my computer to sleep lest my own rubust 3 ft old Q.d. read it and get his feelings hurt. You really do turn a good phrase, VV.

Nonetheless, it did seem to belong in a discussion of smaller oaks. The high price of a newly grafted plant will discourage most people from getting it anyway.

Oops! Just saw this. Thank you VV and all who have posted. I will look into these. I am not too far upstate. Just 30 miles north of NYC.

Victor

Beware of gamble oak it may invade in your zone. I am watching mine for those issues. VV does gamble oak run on roots or seeds?

Thanks Steve. I guess I won't chance gamble!

I have a yard full of Quercus ilicifolia which I love. I have pruned them into nice shapes for the last 25 years. Many were old when we bought the property which had never been used other than for sheep grazing way back. They are a charming little tree. We call the scrub oaks. I would say none of mine are over 20 feet, most 15 feet. Slow growing. The first picture is one of a 3' tall one that I transplanted from the edge of the property in 1983 and it is now I would guess 10'. I do nothing except prune them. I have tried to show you some of their seasonal looks. Patti