Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

nafex - Re: [NAFEX] [Indiana Nut Growers] oaks

nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Lucky Pittman <lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu>
  • To: nutgrowers@yahoogroups.com, nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] [Indiana Nut Growers] oaks
  • Date: Mon, 09 Jan 2006 09:28:15 -0600

Don Cobb, the NNGA Edible Oaks cultivar chairman, has shared a number of low-tannin oak selections with me - all from the white oak group. One, in particular, a Q.bicolor selection, 'Cobb Sweetie #2' was quite edible in the 2000 crop - but fairly bitter in 2002...so, mere genetics may or may not be the full story on tannin levels/bitterness, at least with the white oak group - precipitation and other vagaries of climate or growing conditions from year to year may have a pretty significant effect.

I noticed, this fall, that the local squirrels and deer ate the Southern Red oak (Q.falcata) acorns as fast as they hit the ground, while the white & chinkapin oak acorns(Q.alba & Q.muehlenbergii) lay on the ground, more or less undisturbed, until all the Q.falcata acorns were consumed.

Don has sampled acorns from the original Ashworth bur oak, as well as nearby seedlings(ostensibly seedlings of the original) - and in the year he made his visit, acorns from one of the seedlings was significantly less bitter than those from the Ashworth ortet. I have an Ashworth seedling in my collection, but at ~ 8 yrs/10 ft, it appears to be declining - twig/branch dieback, most of the way back to the trunk, was evident at leaf-out last spring, with epicormic sprouting(new leaves/twigs popping out along the main trunk). If it does similarly this spring, I may cut it back to ground level, and see if it will regenerate from the root collar.

NAFEX's own Joe Hecksel offered up some Bebb's Oak (Q.x bebbiana, bur X white) acorns last fall, and the bunch he sent me were quite non-bitter. Don't know if anyone else availed themselves of that offer, but they were nice!

Now, when I say non-bitter, I mean only that; thus far, I've not been able to ascertain any particular memorable flavor for any of these acorns, they just don't turn your mouth inside-out and make you spit profusely. I still prefer a good hickory or pecan, for eating, but I like my oaks.

Linked below is an article, from Sam Thayer, on acorns which appeared in the Summer 2003 POMONA:
http://www.geocities.com/nuttreegordon/ACORNprp.htm

Another good source of information, for anyone interested in oaks - whether for mast production, or merely for their beauty - is the International Oak Society
http://www.saintmarys.edu/~rjensen/ios.html





  • Re: [NAFEX] [Indiana Nut Growers] oaks, Lucky Pittman, 01/09/2006

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page