The Swamp White Oak

My birthday present to myself last November was a two-hour trip down to Riverside Native Tree Nursery in Delaware, OH, to pick up a swamp white oak and a sugar maple. 

Their website has some really great info not just about native trees, but also about planting, pruning, site selection, and especially on fertilization. They tout that, given the right fertilization regimen (and other basic factors such as site selection), a 5' tall container grown tree can catch up to a 2"-3" caliper balled and burlap tree within five years. I think the argument makes sense and we'll certainly put it to the test with these two trees.

The swamp white oak is one of my favorites. While native to my area, I really don't see many of them so it will add some native diversity. They have a beautiful fall color, interesting exfoliating bark when young, and can tolerate my clay soil. 

I really love the leaf shape and fall color of this swamp white oak.

We planted this one in our backyard centered about 25' from our back fence, so it will have plenty of space to crown out without creeping too much over the fence onto my neighbor's property. According to the Morton Arboretum, its mature width is 50'-60' making it narrower than other native oak species such as white oaks, bur oaks, and northern red oaks which can reach as large as 100' wide. 

Relocated to its permanent spot in our backyard for the next hopefully 100+ years. We planted it about 25' from our back fence so it will be a LONG time--if ever--until it starts to loom over our neighbor's house. 

I'm really looking forward to this spring when I will begin the nursery's recommended fertilization regimen and see how much we can get this little guy to grow this year.

June 2023: After growing about one foot in one month and leafing out very well, I removed the stake.  Not only has it been jostled by the wind since then, but it's also been attacked by leaf miners and June bugs. All that stress has stopped any growth for the time being. However, it looks like its trunk is putting on some much-needed weight so at least it's growing sideways.

June 2023: Unfortunately, most of its leaves have been damaged by leaf miners (see the holes in the middle leaf) and June bugs. However, these two leaves are among the few yet unscathed. I believe the swamp white oak has the prettiest leaf of any tree.