Nuttall Oak Acorns Ecos

Nuttall oak represents a southern red oak species that is distributed throughout south central North America. It has a broad range of adaptability and can grow in alkaline and wet soils. Sometimes called the southern pin oak it too is a wetland tree but is found in a wide range of soil and climatic conditions making several other subspecies. 

When I first heard about Nuttall oak, someone had sent me images of a tree in a park in Arkansas that had a lot of acorns on it. The polaroid image was blurry but clearly even after leaf drop, this tree had a sizeable crop of acorns attached to it. I purchased about 20 lbs. of acorns and made a nice planting at my farm to grow the seedlings to see what would happen. When the first season went through I was delighted to see the fast growth rate some reaching 3 ft. in one year. After winter, I soon discovered that  being in Arkansas meant low winter hardiness from the seedlings. However, three trees looked spectacular with no winter damage. Others were slightly damaged and many had gone back to the ground sprouting from the root again.  I planted those three trees in a permanent spot at the base of a hill at my farm. Today those trees are now over 60 ft. tall with massive crowns. Since then, I have enjoyed those trees frequently sitting under them for lunch, but have not grown the trees in my nursery. Nearby, these trees have produced a number of very nice seedlings scattered by squirrels and birds through the back end of my farm. These seedlings produce a very strong upright central leader tree with nice fall colors and dark green glossy leaves. Nuttall oak was a success in every way! Certainly from seed this seed strain produces very uniform and hardy seedlings with a strong central leader. For a while I thought it might be a hybrid of some sort, but I do not see that variation associated with hybrid oaks in the second generation. 

Over time, I have since grown other selections. It did not work and they succumbed to winter even worst than that first batch of seed I had.  And who would have guessed it came from Arkansas. Acorns are produced in two years as this is a red oak. The acorn production is heavy of small acorns with a orange interior. The trees drop the acorns late in the season and are consumed by many animals at that time. They are likely higher in fat than other white oaks. Nuttall oak could provide another type of red oak useful for urban settings as well as a high energy acorn for wildlife. More research should be done on this strain as well as development of its use for acorn flour as it appears to have high concentrations of minerals in it not found in other acorns. 

This strain of Nuttall Oak is hardy into Zone 5 and can tolerate minus 25F easily. There has been no winter damage on the mature trees and no damage on the seedlings produced by this strain. The strong vigorous growth combined with the winter hardiness make it a useful tree to establish in full zone 5 and possibly more. Having additional seed orchards would lead to both lumber products as well as potential for its acorns for human consumption.  The three trees that are used as seed trees are not necessarily superior to their seedlings. But it is possible having them in other locations would benefit the seedling progeny produced by them and to make hybrids within this strain. 

To germinate the seeds:  Acorns require 90-120 cold and moist dormancy at 34F to 38 F. Store in lightly moist Canadian peat moss. Put at room temperature and begin plucking out acorns as they sprout planting in their permanent spots or in pots.