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Northern Red Oak From Acorns to Acorns in 8 Years or Less

Kormanik, P. P., Sung, S.-J. S., Kormanik, T., Tibbs, T., and Zarnoch, S. J. IN: Proceedings of the 12th biennial southern silvicultural research conference, p. 555-558. USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, General Technical Report SRS-71. Kristina F. Connor, ed. 2004.

Abstract— The intrinsic factors affecting acorn production in oak trees need further study. Common knowledge holds that an oak requires a minimum number of years to begin flowering, with 30 to 50 most frequently reported. Recently, the Institute of Tree Root Biology has been studying the development of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) in the nursery and in outplanting situations. The goals are (1) refining a silvicultural system for oak regeneration on high-quality mesic sites, and(2) pinpointing nursery seedlings most likely to develop into competitive forest trees. Over the course of these studies, we have noted precocious acorn production from these seedlings deemed most competitive in the nursery. Therefore, we speculate that the minimal physiological maturity necessary for flowering to initiate may be more closely related to carbohydrate production than to age.


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Author(s): Paul P. Kormanik, Shi-Jean Susana Sung, Taryn L. Kormanik, Tom Tibbs, Stanley J. Zarnoch

Section: Seeds