Morse Nursery Bur x English Hybrid

[KSQ2]

I got some exciting pics of some of these we planted 9 years ago. They are loaded this year. The biggest is about 15’ tall, sorry for the blurry pic.


Some were much bigger than my thumb

Now for my question, will these be viable nuts that will germinate? I’m assuming yes, but wasn’t sure. If they are, I might have to sneak back into the sanctuary they’re located in this fall.

 

[Native Hunter]

They should be viable.

 

[M. R. Byrd]

Very nice. I have a tree that looks really similar and it is starting to produce this year. I can't put my hands on my plant list so not sure what it is. Plant Snap says English oak, but I didn't plant any straight English oak. I alternated some other oaks in with my bur oak and this is the only tree that survived of the alternate species. I do have some white oak in the greenhouse from acorns collected in Potter, NE(western Nebraska) that I am hopeful will work in my environment.

 

[KSQ2]

Very nice. I have a tree that looks really similar and it is starting to produce this year. I can't put my hands on my plant list so not sure what it is. Plant Snap says English oak, but I didn't plant any straight English oak. I alternated some other oaks in with my bur oak and this is the only tree that survived of the alternate species. I do have some white oak in the greenhouse from acorns collected in Potter, NE(western Nebraska) that I am hopeful will work in my environment.

It’s ironic you mention collecting nuts here. I was just thinking how much these trees resemble the young oaks at our local high school that produce a ton of acorns. I’ve been robbing nuts from these trees for two years now and plan to continue to do so. I’m beginning to wonder just how many hybrid oaks are “hiding” around us in plain sight?

 

[M. R. Byrd]

With a pH running around 7.5 some oaks don't do well here. The bur is the exception. I have a Concordia that is showing signs of iron chlorosis. I have a good sized sawtooth, but it does not produce any acorns. I am always experimenting, but the bur is my go to.

 

[oaknut]

With a pH running around 7.5 some oaks don't do well here. The bur is the exception. I have a Concordia that is showing signs of iron chlorosis. I have a good sized sawtooth, but it does not produce any acorns. I am always experimenting, but the bur is my go to.

You might give Chinkapin oak a try. It is supposed to do best on soils of limestone origin. And it is reputed to have the sweetest acorns of all of our Midwest native oak, highly preferred by wildlife.

 

[letemgrow]

With a pH running around 7.5 some oaks don't do well here. The bur is the exception. I have a Concordia that is showing signs of iron chlorosis. I have a good sized sawtooth, but it does not produce any acorns. I am always experimenting, but the bur is my go to.

I'll second chinkapin oak and also try shumard oak for any soils you have that are a bit richer.

 

[letemgrow]

I got some exciting pics of some of these we planted 9 years ago. They are loaded this year. The biggest is about 15’ tall, sorry for the blurry pic.
View attachment 28455
View attachment 28456
Some were much bigger than my thumb
View attachment 28457
Now for my question, will these be viable nuts that will germinate? I’m assuming yes, but wasn’t sure. If they are, I might have to sneak back into the sanctuary they’re located in this fall.

That's top shelf production.

 

[Fishman]

I’m beginning to wonder just how many hybrid oaks are “hiding” around us in plain sight?

I look at trees all the time when I am driving or just out and about. You really have to get up close and look at a tree to tell if it is a hybrid or something unusual. Compton oaks (live x overcup cross) are probably the most common hybrid around me, but the trees look just like a live oak until you study the leaves or look at the acorns. I don't have the time or energy to look at every single tree that close on the hope that it is a hybrid. I think they are out there, but I haven't stumbled across very many when just looking at trees from a distance. I browse iNaturalist every now and then and use it to discover hybrids or suspected hybrids in my area.

 

[KSQ2]

I look at trees all the time when I am driving or just out and about. You really have to get up close and look at a tree to tell if it is a hybrid or something unusual. Compton oaks (live x overcup cross) are probably the most common hybrid around me, but the trees look just like a live oak until you study the leaves or look at the acorns. I don't have the time or energy to look at every single tree that close on the hope that it is a hybrid. I think they are out there, but I haven't stumbled across very many when just looking at trees from a distance. I browse iNaturalist every now and then and use it to discover hybrids or suspected hybrids in my area.

The trees at our high school might be typical bur oaks but the leaves are smaller, and I haven’t seen any native burs on our place produce nuts at such a young age. Half of the high school trees produce on even years and half on odd years. Their trunks are approximately 8-9” in diameter and they are anywhere from 12-15’ tall. They are absolutely loaded when they produce as well, literally hundreds of acorns on the ground each fall. There’s a total of 10 trees and unfortunately I haven’t had any luck yet finding out who planted them. It’s amazing how little attention people pay to trees.