Is this an Oregon white oak..?

[Splintercat]

I've got three oak seedlings growing in my yard, and I'm fairly certain they are native Oregon white oak (Garry oak) -- and if so, I'd like to transplant them to a spot where they can grow old... but if they're a cultivar, they're going into the compost bin! Here's what they look like:



Anyone absolutely, 100% sure on these...? BTW, we have a lot of native white oak growing on the bluff behind your house, so the possibility of a squirrel or bird burying some acorns in our yard isn't a stretch.

Thanks!

Tom

[Guy]

It certainly could be Tom but impossible to be sure from a foliage shot as there are just so many oaks and they can have variable foliage when small.

Take some close up shots of terminal & lateral buds next time you pass one on a hike then compare those photos to the buds on your oaks, that will give you a much better idea.

[BurnsideBob]

Hi Tom:

In my very limited experience, Q garryana seedlings grow e x t r e m e l y s l o w l y.

We were very excited to have Q garryana seedlings at our new property--we were going to relocate them to strategic places in our landscape. Ehhh! They just didn't grow so we left them in situ and broke down and bought suitaby sized plants from native plant nurseries.

I did go outside to check the growth our native seedlings have put on this year. The first seedling we noticed, which is at least 8 years old now, had a major growth spurt this past summer and doubled in height to a mighty 18". The four-five year old plants are less than 12" tall.

In looking at our little guys I noticed the current year wood on both them and our mature Q garryana is green. Your photo shows the current year wood to have a reddish tan color.

So based on the growth rate and stem color, your oak seems to be something other than Q garryana.

It might be, speculation, Q robar, English Oak. The leaf shape and one year stem color on my 10 year old trees resembles the tree in your photo.

I can post leaf and stem photos of all the above if you are interested.

[bobcat]

I'd go with Q. garryana, or possibly one of the eastern white oaks - I don't think it's English oak. Q. garryana grows native in many areas around the city and in the suburbs, so it would not be surprising if an acorn got dropped or was buried in your yard. I have one that came up under a rhododendron - I keep clipping it back because it would damage the rhodie if I dug it out.

But yes, it grows very slowly . . .

[Splintercat]

Very helpful - thanks, everyone! Guy's suggestion brought me to the obvious: pick a twig from one of the native oaks behind us an compare in detail! Wish I'd thought of that...

Tom