North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Lucky Pittman <lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu>]

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