Quercus Species, Charter Oak, White Oak

Considered the greatest Oak in the eastern forests, according to surveys of professionals and laymen alike, in the 1900’s. A “Climax...Read More Forest” species that was a major component in eastern forests from Florida to Maine across to Minnesota to Texas. I planted my first in 1970, in Nashville, TN. Where it grew moderately fast to about 50’ tall by 1993 when the successive landowner cut it because he didn’t like birds or raking leaves. He cut all my trees I planted in the 1960’s also. Anyway, here at my estate Arboretum, Level 4, I have a few also. Mine grow 1.5’ to 3’ per year. I collected crossections of downed trees over the past 50 years. Diameter growths of 1/8” to 1/2” per year were most common. Some of my oldest slices were 300+ years old. I see the tree as a living legend, it is pleasant aesthetically, worry free regarding weather, a tree of the virgin forest that we need to plant so that it’s numbers do not continue to decline. I posted a couple pix today of a W Oak in Nashville TN that is the most elite I’ve ever seen in my 52 years of tree studies. This tree is 110 feet tall, 120 feet spread, and about 23 feet around at chest. It’s health and symmetry is unmatched with White Oak trees this size anywhere in the world. Then on Feb 10, 2021 I posted another giant and old one from mid-TN. Randy Allen of
http://www.WhiteHouseArboretum.com

I would have to agree with most all the noted details for this awesome tree.
One day in my teenager years I was walking the railro...Read Moread tracks near my home and observed a maintenance RR crew cutting and spraying all the vegetation on the steep rail embankments. I hiked up over the embankment cut and noticed a 2'-3' tall White Oak sapling among the brush that was about to meet it's end from the clearing crew. I tugged and uprooted that sapling carrying it home, soaking it's damaged roots in a stream on the way. I planted that sapling on a farm road property line at my grandparents farm up the road and miraculously, it survived the abrupt removal. Thirty six years later I bought the farm and now walk by that White Oak every morning. It has grown straight and tall producing acorns for a number of years now.

A mature white oak is a majestic sight.

However, this species is rarely planted, because production is difficult, transpla...Read Morenting can be a problem, and after the first 20-30 years growth becomes very slow. Today few people have a sufficient sense of stewardship for the land to plant such a tree.

"When man encroaches and builds roads and houses in white oak timber, the trees often gradually decline and die. This is, in part, due to compaction, ruination of mycorrhizal associations, and removal of the recycled organic matter from under the trees."---Michael Dirr

Please do not construct lawn under your white oaks, and restrain your "fall leaf cleanups", if you want to preserve them.

One of the most glorious trees of the whole world. Beautiful leaves, strong form, and gray to brown-gray scaly bark, and good orange-bron...Read Moreze or russet fall color. Acorns great for wildlife. State tree of Illinois.