Bebbs Oak Acorns Ecos + Scions

Bebbs oak is a common hybrid found within the ranges of bur and white oaks. Many times these hybrids are not really noticed to any extent other than a taxonomic curiosity. When I started collecting acorns from the parks in my area over 40 years ago, I noticed that there were many 100 plus year old bur oaks in these parks but not many white oaks.  You might find one tree at the edge of a grove. I grew out many thousands of seedlings of bur oak for the conservation and landscape industries at the time and kept close track of my seed sources in my area as it was the only way to get acorns in large numbers. As a result by the 3rd or 4th year, every now and then you would see an oak within these seedling populations that looked very much like white oak in many ways. I would then mark these trees and plant them out in my open field. When they started fruiting, I began growing the seedlings from them and making them available. This was the start of the Ecos Bebbs oaks. 

I specifically selected seedling trees with the most hybrid vigor. Often these trees can average about 2 foot of growth per year. Many of these are also low in tannin which can be used for the edible acorn with only a few washings to remove the astringency.  Bebbs oak appears to develop a dark interior wood quickly even on young branches and trees. It really is an amazing hybrid that is stable enough to grow numerous generations.

Several varieties are available as scions and acorns including: For scions, request with the order of seeds. One variety per order of one order of seeds.  2023 harvest is from Expanding Universe tree.

"Expanding Universe" Selected bebbs oak cross with wide spreading crown and strong open growth habit. One of the most vigorous crosses I have found and quickly grew to 40 ft. on top of one of my sand dunes at the farm. Tree crown is round with symmetrical branching which is easy to limb up to create a broad spreading tree. Clean dark green foliage. Good acorn production of small to medium sized acorns relatively low in tannins. Found as a seedling in a bed of bur oaks collected in southwestern Michigan. Bebbs oak can be grafted to bur oak for clonal propagation. From seed, this cultivar produced what I call the "ever expanding universe" of white oaks of which easily be used as is for acorn production as well as an additional shade tree type oak trees with strong growth and clean foliage. 

"Fullness" Selected bebbs oak from southwestern Michigan grown from seed from a batch of bur oaks. Tree was nearly twice the size of other nearby bur oaks in the same planting area. This tree was kept as it has a solid dense round crown and large clean leaves. The oval crown has broad spreading limbs with a distinct upright curve to the lower limbs. "Fullness" is more of a type of white oak than bur oak. Its leaves have that distinctive pattern of bur oak in it. The tree develops caliper very quickly. The acorn production is very good in on years. It tends to produce every other year although light crops are possible inbetween assuming there is no late frosts. Some years the crop is heavy but in general over the course of 30 years of observation it is a moderate acorn producer of clean acorns that drop free of the cap. This cultivar produces very nice white oak type seedlings which show good vigor. Further grow outs of this hybrid could lead to a timber tree in the same class as white oak and could be developed to offer from seed orchards for future lumber production. 

To germinate the acorns:  Bebbs oak acorns have both sprouting upon harvest and dormant embryos within the acorns. Some will sprout immediately and others require a period of dormancy of 90 days of cold and moist conditions at 34F to 38F degrees. The acorns are screened for weevils and refrigerated prior to shipping. Cut tests are done regularly to check the internal conditions of the acorns to prevent mold and decay. I wash the acorns with eucalyptus castile soap to prevent mold in storage.