michaelj
Chumono
I would also recommend the parking lots at Cal State. On the north end, by the athletic fields and the arboretum, there are a lot of cork oaks.
Acorn to Oak Tree Contest Rules Discussion
- Thread starter Gabler
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I would also recommend the parking lots at Cal State. On the north end, by the athletic fields and the arboretum, there are a lot of cork oaks.
LuZiKui
Shohin
Cal State Fullerton? Is it an area accessible to the public? I was gonna run out to an area in Duarte and Fullerton would be much closer!
michaelj
Chumono
Yes. The cork oaks are in the parking lots in the circled areas. It costs money to park there, but you don't have to pay to enter the lot - just to stay in the lot. I pull up, gather a dozen or two, and scoot along.
The lot isn't all oaks - they have lots of ficus and one or two other species (maybe some podocarpus, I don't remember exactly) - but there are several cork oaks, and they are all dropping acorns right now. If you wait a couple more weeks, there will be more with holes, or half eaten by squirrels, and every so often they hoover the parking lot, so I'd recommend going soon. Waiting until mid-November will mean needing to yank down the last few stubborn acorns left in the canopy if you want viable seeds.
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TimIAm
Yamadori
Anyone have an idea what type of oak this might be? I'm from Australia, so I don't think we have any native oaks, so it should be a cultivated species.
I know this tree produces viable seed because I get 2 or 3 seedlings appear each year in my yard. However, I cannot find any large acorns. The acorns shown in the picture below with the jacaranda flower for scale, that is as large as they get. I have a covered area next to this tree so if there were any larger acorns there would definitely be some on the roof.
Tree has distinct bark. Other picture is of a growing seedling approx. 3 years old.
I can provide a picture of the mature tree if needed.
I know this tree produces viable seed because I get 2 or 3 seedlings appear each year in my yard. However, I cannot find any large acorns. The acorns shown in the picture below with the jacaranda flower for scale, that is as large as they get. I have a covered area next to this tree so if there were any larger acorns there would definitely be some on the roof.
Tree has distinct bark. Other picture is of a growing seedling approx. 3 years old.
I can provide a picture of the mature tree if needed.
Gabler
Masterpiece
I don't recognize it, but the app says Notholithocarpus densiflorus.
TimIAm
Yamadori
It's not a N. densiflorus because it doesn't flower like N. densiflorus which has really long flowers and the acorns don't match. But I am now realising that this may not be a Quercus, which is a pity because I was hoping to bring something a bit different to the competition.
JoB
Yamadori
So, the next bunch arrived..Will get planted tomorrow 
Empty Mountain
Mame
A few of the first batch of english oak acorns I planted in a seed tray are growing roots that I can see escaping out of the bottom! I'm wondering if any are going to sprout now or if they'll wait until the spring.
Gabler
Masterpiece
It's normal for white oaks to put out a radicle in the fall and then send up a stem in the spring. By contrast, red oaks produce dormant acorns that require a period of cold stratification in order to germinate in the spring.
Fishsauce
Sapling
Picked up a handful this morning on our daily walk, some the ones on the ground are already sprouting. I thought they wouldn't do that until Spring. Would they survive the 7A winter if I pot them up now?
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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Oak acorns normally put out a root in autumn, but the vegetative tree part does not sprout until spring. The roots will grow slowly all winter. So seeing roots sprout in autumn is a good sign. The acorns still need winter stratification for vegetative growth to start in spring.
I throw acorns in plastic baggies with a little moist sphagnum, into the refrigerator. This works fine. Even if they keep growing slowly, they will hold until late May, my "safe" spring planting date.
I throw acorns in plastic baggies with a little moist sphagnum, into the refrigerator. This works fine. Even if they keep growing slowly, they will hold until late May, my "safe" spring planting date.
Apex37
Chumono
@Leo in N E Illinois I have some Live Oak and Overcup Oak acorns. Can I plant those up now and just leave them outside all fall/winter or would it be better to do cold stratification with them? From what I read, black and white oaks don’t require cold stratification to germinate, but if it’ll increase germination, or just all together better practice, I’ll go that route.
Wulfskaar
Omono
My app is also saying Tanoak.
They do look similar to my mystery oaks in my post here: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/oak-id-help.53051/
Take a look at my more recent pics there.
My app also thinks my mystery oaks are Tanoaks.
I think mine are Shreve Oaks (Quercus parvula var. shrevei) but I could be wrong. Shreve oaks are closely related to Santa Cruz Island oaks.
Warlock
Shohin
Today I collected and floated
Red Oak, Live oak and Bur oak
Red Oak, Live oak and Bur oak
Gabler
Masterpiece
I wasn't aware there were any trees outside the genus Quercus that produced what you might accurately call acorns. I'm going to borrow some wisdom from Justice Stewart. We all know what an acorn is. You know it when you see it. If it looks like an acorn and produces a broadleaf tree, then it counts for the contest.
Warlock
Shohin
So I made one of my 9 boxes to plant my acorns.
It's 1'x2'x6". Im not sure if I will be a shade cloth bottom or not over the 1/4" hardware cloth. F1 race just started, taking a break
..
I will back a stand to hold them all up.
It's 1'x2'x6". Im not sure if I will be a shade cloth bottom or not over the 1/4" hardware cloth. F1 race just started, taking a break
..
I will back a stand to hold them all up.
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LuZiKui
Shohin
Dang that's a burly grow box with those corner brackets, looks like it should still be good in 5 years.
When I build mine, I put the screen on the bottom then run a couple of planks of wood across the bottom. You're gonna have quite a bit of substrate in there so it's nice to have some extra support to take the strain off the screen. Also, I've found that when the roots inevitably grow into the ground it's nice having a little extra support underneath if you have to pry it off the ground.
I make all my grow boxes from the same type of fence post. Had a bunch extra laying around, it’s perfect for it.
Love Drive to Survive but have had my fits and starts watching race day live. Seems Red Bull is just the new Mercedes these last couple years, eh?
Warlock
Shohin
I just need the boxes to germinate the acorns this spring. Keep them alive then s Texas Summer and then pot them next fall/winter so at least a year.
I gonna make a rake with cinder blocks to put them off the ground. Bottom bracing is next. I just wanted to see how this box would fit together. I think it came out pretty good.
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