Log in

Editor's Picks

Pages from Gert's book
It was a great pleasure for me to be able to write about my...
Gert Fortgens | Feb 15, 2024
Quercus marlipoensis acorns
A new study has analyzed the germination characteristics of...
Website Editor | Feb 15, 2024
Gall on Quercus grahamii
A new species of oak gall wasp has been named in honor of...
Website Editor | Feb 14, 2024

Plant Focus

A small but mature Alabama sandstone oak producing acorns © Patrick Thompson
A Critically Endangered dwarf oak 

Ryan Russell's blog

Scouting trip for OOD

I recently went on a scouting trip to Mississippi to plan for an upcoming Oak Open Day. I had been there two years earlier and that is when I got the idea for a tour. I met my good friend Dudley Phelps, who runs Mossy Oak’s Nativ Nursery, and we grafted some of their special hybrid oaks. These oaks have been hand selected by the Nativ Nursery staff for their wildlife benefits such as early or late dropping acorns, or especially heavy masting trees.

Changes in the Cultivar Registration Forms

The IOS has been approved again as the International Cultivar Registration Authority (ICRA) for Quercus. The registrar duties have been divided between Ryan Russell who will take care of selections found in the Americas, and Eike Jablonski who will take care of selections found outside of the Americas. This will help ease the individual workload and has been approved by International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS).

Preserving a Champion in Missouri

In the heart of the Mid-west grows a monster. McBaine, Missouri is home to the state champion Q. macrocarpa. Standing more than 90 feet with a spread of 130 feet and a circumference of 23 feet, it is truly a giant. This giant is estimated to be somewhere in the area of 350 to 450 years old (no core samples have been taken). Not only is this tree the current state champion, but shares national co-champion status along with the Kentucky and Michigan state champions.     

Pages