Hairmetal, just send me a envelope to J. Gogola 119 Vail lane Smock, Pa 15480. Put a couple stamps in it, and I'll send you some acorns. Some have the tip of a taproot coming out already. I planted out 2 or 3 acorns already in my yard. My friend's yard will get 3-4 of them. There are 6 (likely more) at least, it should be worth a couple stamps anyway. I am also going to order more Q. Virginiana "late drop" for spring planting. I would just put all faith in the Q. Fusi var. Virg, if not for the slow growth and die -back in winter2012 of my slow-growing Q. Fusiformis. I hope it's not all too confusing. My Quercus Virginiana "late drop" planted in spring 2012, have withstood 2 winters, and have good buds for spring 2014. The Q. Fusi I planted in winter 2011 (I think) have died back in 2 out of 3 winters. I hope that is less convoluted twisted explanation. I still put the most faith in the "late drop" Live oak, it has done the best. If your stamps aren't enough to cover the cost, I don't mind adding a quarter or so.

Send an email to me, poaky. Thanks, Dax

Alabama hugger: I can be such a jerk! I have thought about sending you a report many times, but for reasons I can't explain, or think of an excuse for, I never did. Sorry. You were so nice to send them. OK, I planted them in three groups of three each and gave them hardware cloth protection from critters. One of the sites had a deer kick away the protection, so voles or something got them. All the other six grew. The first year we had an extreme drought--according to the US Drought Monitor site--so I had to water and water them. The next year they started to grow and put out three flushes of growth. This year, for some reason they are sputtering a bit. They are 30 to 45 inches tall. I transplanted one from one of the groups of three to a new spot, and it is surviving fine with regular watering. Still too early to tell how they will ultimately do--we are so hot and dry here. Poaky: Yes, open grown chestnut oaks will often divide into several large ascending branches. Q. alba can do this also. But both usually have a good balanced structure and are resistant to storm damage. But white oak may have a somewhat better growth form than chestnut oak, at least some of the time. With young white oaks the trunk may seem to be developing more than one leader, but then after three or four years, one will assert dominance, and the others can grow into nicely high arching branches. It is good not to try to prune to "shape-up" white oaks too hastily. I have less experience with, and fewer observations of chestnut oaks growing in the open. They are virtually never planted as ornamental trees--a shame. Oh, something to remember about white oak--there is considerable genetic variation in all kinds of characteristics, including growth form. Here near where I live in Northern VA, there is a famous one on the grounds of Carter Hall--it has a spread of about 150 feet, and is only 75 feet tall. It has several very large low branches that just grow out and out and out. It is well over 5 feet in diameter. Amazing! Then right across the street, in front of an old stone Episcopal church is another very large old white oak. It is more or less in the open also, but is growing very erect and tall with its branches arching upwards. Anyone looking at these trees from a distance would never think they are both of the same species. But they are--trust me--both pure white oak, no hybridizing. Tom: Here is what I would say about Northern red oak: Chief of all the red oak group, and an outstanding tree. Next might be the Shummard, but northern red oaks are especially fine. And they produce the best wood for furniture of all the red oak group--a nicer and "cleaner" grain. And as for the cherry bark oak--I think one has been recorded as the tallest growing oak in the US. I can't remember right now, but something like 170 feet. --spruce

I have read about the movie Forrest Gump and it mentions where the tree is, but an image you can buy commercially isn't easily found. My tree near the property line won't be a problem for anyone if pruned on the one side, it will have 3 sides to spread and Jenny's tree is lower branched in one direction if I remember right. Rhizo, I would have thought Live oaks would be hardy and huge in your whole state. They have been called coast live oak I guess. You are zone 7, though. Is it a moisture issue or harsh winters? They do well in coastal Virginia, Alabama should be at least as warm in winter as Virginia, so moisture must be an issue. Well, Rhizo, you can always try Late drop live oak if you really want a live oak. The bad thing is you don't know for sure the shape the tree will have, being a likely hybrid. It is described as being wider than tall, so it sounds like it should be close enough.