Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Wednesday - July 02, 2014

From: Merrill , WI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Seeds and Seeding, Trees
Title: Growing a Swamp Oak from Seed
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

I have a swamp oak that I started from an acorn. Someone at a nursery stated that after 4 years I should cut it off at ground level and then allow one of the suckers to grow while keep removing the others. The tree will have a straighter and stronger trunk if I do this. I have 3 years to wait for the answer.

ANSWER:

When you refer to swamp oak, do you mean Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)?  The other swamp oak that it could be is Swamp Spanish Oak (Quercus palustris). Both grow in your region.

Anyway, if you prune your oak tree at four years of age you will be setting it back significantly. Unless your tree is very malformed and you think that it needs to grow a perfectly straighter trunk, just let it be.  And the current thinking now is that young trees form stronger trunks if they are not staked. Here's the rationale behind the unstaked tree procedure.

Also, the Mississippi State University Extension Service has a good factsheet on growing oaks from acorns that you might like to read.

 

From the Image Gallery


Pin oak
Quercus palustris

Pin oak
Quercus palustris

More Seeds and Seeding Questions

Annual ryegrass and Habiturf from Austin
October 31, 2013 - We've decided to put Habiturf in our freshly cleared back yard that was overgrown with sticky burs and crabgrass, but now that it is fall, would you recommend putting in a cover crop of annual ryegra...
view the full question and answer

Starting Melochia Pyramidata from Seed
November 06, 2014 - Last year some Melochia pyramidata popped up in my yard all on its own. I was able to gather some (really neat looking) seed pods once they had dried out. I'm moving pretty soon and I'd like to grow...
view the full question and answer

Planting wildflowers on company property from Aquasco MD
April 04, 2014 - Our company wants to plant wildflowers on our property. How do I know how much seed, what type of seeds, how to care for, how to plant, basically everything? Finally, we hope to find use some deer-r...
view the full question and answer

Cottonwood trees shedding in Orion MI
June 23, 2010 - How long can I plan on my cottonwood trees (wild) shedding long wide cotton strips? This is a first for my trees. Usually it is fluffy small puffs.
view the full question and answer

Creating a bluebonnet patch between Brenham and Houston.
April 12, 2009 - I am creating a Bluebonnet patch in a well-drained section of my flowerbed. I just planted the plants (it is now early April and I'm between Houston and Brenham, TX). I plan to let them go to seed ...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.