Water Oak

[rockm]

I think its a hybrid, more willow than water oak. That is compared to willow oaks around here. I have planted at least 400 willow oaks in Northern VA and they had narrower strap shape leaves than what you show. But of course I will allow that those grown in the far south could be different. The plant you are showing is very nice.

WIllow oaks are variable with leaf shape. The willow oaks on my parents old place in East Texas looked like a cross between live oak and willow oak. Not as strappy and thin. Wider with lobes. This one does look like a willow oak, but as said, oaks species cross breed...

 

[penumbra]

WIllow oaks are variable with leaf shape. The willow oaks on my parents old place in East Texas looked like a cross between live oak and willow oak. Not as strappy and thin. Wider with lobes. This one does look like a willow oak, but as said, oaks species cross breed...

That is interesting. I am familiar only with those around here having seen thousands and planting hundreds of them in my career. I do know there are over 700 species of oaks making them much more variable than the average Joe thinks.

 

[JoeH]

I'm also definitely feeling the willow ID. Water leaves can be highly variable and even occasionally resemble a willow, but not in the case of all the leaves -you would have at least some other leaves with that frog-foot spatulate shape.
Neat tree. Think the leaves will reduce?

BTW -I hope you prove willow wrong, this would be good to know/see.
Thanks

the leaves already have reduced, and I have had the water oak shaped leaves on it at the start of the tree in a pot phase. It doesn't develop those anymore. I am not sure if they will reduce much more.

 

[rockm]

the leaves already have reduced, and I have had the water oak shaped leaves on it at the start of the tree in a pot phase. It doesn't develop those anymore. I am not sure if they will reduce much more.

Leaf shape, especially on fast growing initial growth on recently collected trees, can be very misleading. Those initial large leaves can be greatly distorted--I've seen it on a number of species. My thought is that the tree is trying to produce growth fast to recover and that hurried growth can stress the tree into producing quantity (large) leaves that come at the expense of organized growth. After the tree has recovered, leaf shape mostly comes back into line.

 

[rockm]

That is interesting. I am familiar only with those around here having seen thousands and planting hundreds of them in my career. I do know there are over 700 species of oaks making them much more variable than the average Joe thinks.

FWIW, the Native Tree Society lists a hybrid Water Oak/ Willow oak:
http://www.nativetreesociety.org/species/sp_threads/oak_hybridization.htm

 

[JoeH]

Leaf shape, especially on fast growing initial growth on recently collected trees, can be very misleading. Those initial large leaves can be greatly distorted--I've seen it on a number of species. My thought is that the tree is trying to produce growth fast to recover and that hurried growth can stress the tree into producing quantity (large) leaves that come at the expense of organized growth. After the tree has recovered, leaf shape mostly comes back into line.

I meant at collection time the shape was a lot different and matched up better with seedling/young water oak. The leaves now that it gets are around an inch long at most.

 

[JoeH]

Leaf shape, especially on fast growing initial growth on recently collected trees, can be very misleading. Those initial large leaves can be greatly distorted--I've seen it on a number of species. My thought is that the tree is trying to produce growth fast to recover and that hurried growth can stress the tree into producing quantity (large) leaves that come at the expense of organized growth. After the tree has recovered, leaf shape mostly comes back into line.

this one's been in training for close to two years, so it shouldn't be stressed. I did repot it a month or so ago, had to since it was blown off the shelf and cracked the pot. Doing fine and pushing more new growth since the rains have started here.

 

[Silentrunning]

I will go ahead and add some more confusion to the identity mystery. My guess is that it is a Bluejack Oak. Quercus incana. My reasoning is the color of the immature leaves. Bluejacks are smaller than most of the Oak family but grow into south Florida in the wild.

 

[JoeH]

I will go ahead and add some more confusion to the identity mystery. My guess is that it is a Bluejack Oak. Quercus incana. My reasoning is the color of the immature leaves. Bluejacks are smaller than most of the Oak family but grow into south Florida in the wild.

I'm just going to call it a Waterever Oak from here on out, you all can argue it out for me. The parent tree was IDed to me by the Lakeland FL City Arborist and this one was right under it so I went with that, didn't think it was so complicated.

 

[Silentrunning]

I'm just going to call it a Waterever Oak from here on out, you all can argue it out for me. The parent tree was IDed to me by the Lakeland FL City Arborist and this one was right under it so I went with that, didn't think it was so complicated.

If you like the tree it doesn’t matter what it is. I have a dozen trees that I haven’t got a clue as to what they are. Enjoy.

 

[JoeH]

If you like the tree it doesn’t matter what it is. I have a dozen trees that I haven’t got a clue as to what they are. Enjoy.

I am enjoying it, its pushed a ton of new growth since the 9 days of rain , Its getting to be decision time on what branches to let continue to grow out or not. last year it did have one throwback froggy foot leaf, this years all seem to be staying smaller.