FYI: Good info on planting oaks for wildlife

[Bayou Buck]

I've done a considerable amount of research regarding the best oak species to plant for wildlife, and I decided to post it here for anyone else who's interested. I'm no expert, just a guy who knows how to google, so please do your own research for your area before you do anything. I hunt in the deep south, about 100 miles inland from the Gulf.

The most impressive species I came across was the sawtooth oak. Not native, but an amazing tree. It will produce acorns in 3 years, and will typically reach peak production by 9 years. It has a high output of large, sweet acorns, and the deer love them. Several hunters around us have tried them, and they are all thrilled with the output and incredible growth rate. The best part is that they're drought tolerant, which seems to be an issue in the deep south these days. Here's a good article published by Auburn Univ:

 http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/webpress/1990/sawtooth.htm  

The next most impressive tree is the nuttall oak:

  http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/quercus/nutallii.htm  

The nuttall is native, it grows very quickly, and it can start producing acorns in as little as 5 years. As it takes 20 years to mature, it takes much longer than the sawtooth to hit its peak production, but this is still relatively fast for oak.

Shumard oaks are also very important native hardwoods in our area:

  http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/Volume_2/quercus/shumardii.htm  

These are native red oaks, and they grow to be massive trees. Maturity and acorn production are much slower than the nuttalls, but they are an important native species and I can't neglect them for the sake of expediency. Like the nuttall, it's a vital mast-producing tree that will benefit a piece of land for decades.

The last tree I'll mention is the swamp chestnut oak, AKA the cow oak. It's native and is great for mast-production. This is my favorite tree. It's acorns are some of the biggest and sweetest on the continent, and it's a beautiful tree in the fall. Here's some info on it:

  http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/Volume_2/quercus/michauxii.htm  

This tree is definitely for the kids & grandkids to enjoy, but at least it'll be pretty in the mean time.

Some other resources:

Seedling vendors: there are a ton more, and many states have programs to help landowners acquire seedlings inexpensively:

  http://www.mfc.state.ms.us/seedling_vendors.htm  

Virginia Tech's tree info site:

  http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/LandownerFactsheets/index.htm  

I hope somebody out there finds this useful. I love the idea of hunters planting hardwoods -- who needs corporate deer chow? Go plant a tree!

[Focusource]

The VT tree info site is great.  One of the ways I pass time in the treestand is to catalog all of the trees around me.  Before I started hunting, I had no idea the diversity of flora and fauna in the area in which I have lived for decades.

[rastaman]

Thanks for the info!

[always89]

Great info Bill,
Our family owns a small farm in Appomattox, VA. The woods are covered in these swamp oaks. (odd, becuase this is hill country). What really stands out, is a particularly huge swamp oak right behind the cabin. This tree puts out more acorns than you can imagine! Problem is, the deer dont seem to touch them! Neither do the squirrel. Im assuming its because its right behind the cabin, and the human presence keeps them away. If you walk back in the woods, you can catch deer standing under the swamp oaks with their mouths open waiting for the acorns to fall in their mouths! The deer do seem to suck those up pretty quick.

[Fletcher]

The sawtooth does seem to be a wonderful tree, but do be aware that it is an invasive non-native species.  Kudzu vine and silver/bighead carp were thought to be "good" species, too.  Once they establish themselves, they are virtually impossible to remove and can have serious detrimental effects on native species.    

[Pat B]

We planted a couple of hundred sawtooth oaks on our club in GA about 8 years ago. Last year there were a few that were at least 8" to 10" at the base and 15'+ tall and most of them began producing acorns 2 years ago......but like Fletcher said, they are on the invasive exotic species listed by the USDA. The uneaten or buried acorns germinate easily so before you know it they are everywhere. For some that would be a plus until they overshadow the valuable native species. Lots of invasive exotics have been planted for wildlife and most of them have come back to bite us...
Japanese honeysuckle, kudzu, multiflora rose, purple loose strife and many other plants as well as many animals. Look at the problems FLA is having with pythons, iguanas, piranha and many other exotic animals and fish and hundreds of plants. They say there are 300,000+ pythons  in FLA(up to 15' long now) and they could be a problem up the East Coast up as far as Northern VA and on the West Coast up to Northern Cali. Many exotic plants are eaten and preferred by native wildlife but they don't have the nutritional value that native species have. Our wildlife hasn't developed the ability to extract the nutrients needed for good health from these exotics. It's like sending a kid to a candy store to buy supper.
   A few years ago I collected a few sawtooth acorns, put them in pots with potting soil and in the spring I got 100% germination. I was torn about planting them on my 25ac, but decided it wasn't worth the risk.

[Bayou Buck]

I noted that the sawtooth was non-native in the original post. Your concerns are reasonable because there is a fair amount of literature out there labeling sawtooths as invasive. There is also literature that praises them for being able to survive in conditions where native oaks can't. I talked to someone who works for the state's forestry office, and they said that they didn't consider the sawtooth a threat in any way.

Based on this and in light of the fact that since the hurricanes of 05 and 08 we have almost no mature hardwoods left standing on the property I hunt, I think I'm still going to plant some sawtooths. At least the wildlife will have something to eat while the native oaks mature.

It's also noteworthy that lots of the literature I read said not to plant sawtooths in traditional oak areas (bottoms, flood plains, etc.) where native trees could be outperformed. Ours will be planted in an old pecan orchard that got leveled  in Katrina so they'll at least be separated from the wild areas. Everything that will be planted back in the woods will be native.

I just hope I live long enough to see some of those cow oaks mature!

[Biggie Hoffman]

Sawtooths are an invasive species? Best news I've heard today!

[Onehair]

I just purchaes 65 Sawtoothe seedlings. A buck a piece.

[Bayou Buck]

Originally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
Sawtooths are an invasive species? Best news I've heard today!

 

Yeah, I like them a lot better than fireants for sure.

[BobCo 1965]

JMHO, but I would stay away from invasives myself. I have personally seen what invasives can do.

[ChuckC]

Pat,  If you need to get rid of a few of those Sawtooth seedlings,   I have a place to plant them.  I am trying to add as many oaks as I can to my little (tiny actually) piece of heaven. Course, UP MI is probably not a good environment for them.
ChuckC

[Pat B]

Chuck, Sawtooth oaks are only good from hardiness zones 5 through 9. I believe the UP is in zone 3 or 4. They are better suited for the more southern regions of the country.

[ChuckC]

Pat...I figured as much.  But hey.... with global warming, maybe in ten more years they will work out after all !    I am planting swamp white and pin oaks right now, along with some other mixed wildlife type shrubs and trees.  Gotta see how they do.  Not being up there full time makes it difficult cause I can't be there to water them  small trees and get some roots under them.
ChuckC

[ChuckC]

got into wikipedia and searched for sawtooth oak.  The way they describe it, it is very prolific, very early but they say that the acorn is very bitter and not a preferred wildlife food.

Same tree ?
ChuckC

[Liquid Amber]

If we'd had google back in the 1960s I'd not of used four years learning all this stuff.     It's nice to see folks taking advantage of what is available at the click of a button these days.

I planted my first sawtooth oak obtained from the Georgia Forestry Commission seed orchard in 1973.  It began bearing in about 6 years and still bears annually.  It is located in my Mother's front yard in Marietta, Ga.

Planted a few more since and they are very popular here in Louisiana.  I would not call them invasive....hogs yes, sawtooth no.  

Keep their head in the sun and they will do well; low maintenance

[Liquid Amber]

Maybe this will help with some confusion on white oaks and swamp chestnut oaks.

In the south there are white oaks on the hills and swamp chestnut oaks in the low lands or bottoms/swamps.  Above a line beginning in North Georgia and extending north east [generally speaking] you will find this reversed...swamp white oaks and chestnut oaks on the hills.

In North Georgia you can find all four inhabiting the same general area.  Makes for some interesting discussion on tree indentification.  

[Biggie Hoffman]

See Cliff, those four years weren't wasted      

ChuckC. That's odd cause roun' hyar, the deer and turkeys love 'em. Could be just cause they are available 1st.

[Pat B]

The sawtooths we planted were "gobbler" variety that was developed by NWTF. The acorns are a bit smaller and preferred by turkeys, so they say! Never heard of deer or turkeys not eating sawtooth acorns.

[ChuckC]

Biggie and Pat.  
Every other site I visited stated that the Sawtooth acorn is a preferred wild life food, so I am guessing Wiki is not totally correct.  

They also show that the tree is growth tolerant into USDA growth 5, and the south portion of the UP is that.   I may try to get hold of a couple and baby them in there to see if they can make it.
ChuckC