Beeches, oaks, stone oaks, chestnuts and other members of the beech family. Sun, 15 Mar 2026 02:16:48 +0000 Sun, 15 Mar 2026 02:16:48 +0000 UBC Botanical Garden Forums https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/fagaceae-beeches-oaks-etc.225/ Wed, 01 Oct 2025 07:25:48 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/some-thoughts-about-valley-oaks-adaptations-to-the-california-climate.105335/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/some-thoughts-about-valley-oaks-adaptations-to-the-california-climate.105335/ invalid@example.com (SoCal2warm) SoCal2warm
Quercus lobata is in the white oak family (which includes English oak).

I can provide an insight into why this species is so big. As you go north in California, 30 miles inland from the coast, the...

Some thoughts about Valley oaks adaptations to the California climate]]> 5 Mon, 29 Sep 2025 03:20:28 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/ancient-oaks.98952/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/ancient-oaks.98952/ invalid@example.com (Acerholic) Acerholic ScienceAlert: An Ancient Oak in Italy Just Turned Out to Be Nearly 1,000 Years Old.
An Ancient Oak in Italy Just Turned Out to Be Nearly 1,000 Years Old]]> 4 Sat, 27 Sep 2025 18:37:47 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/thoughts-on-oak-hybrids-english-oak-and-cork-oak.98268/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/thoughts-on-oak-hybrids-english-oak-and-cork-oak.98268/ invalid@example.com (SoCal2warm) SoCal2warm
" The legendary discovery of Ambrozy's wintergreen oak in an old plantation of sweet chestnuts at Horné Lefantovce near Nitra in 1909 has a similar history. According to the legend one day in February some woodcutters were seen in a tavern wearing sprigs of green oak in their hats. This alerted...

thoughts on oak hybrids, English Oak and Cork Oak]]> 24 Fri, 04 Jul 2025 00:33:11 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/oaks-grow-hope-in-ukraine.104968/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/oaks-grow-hope-in-ukraine.104968/ invalid@example.com (togata57) togata57 The biologist’s ambitious plan is to replace the charred trees with English oaks, Quercus robur, which are native to Ukraine and Europe. A virulent root fungus has already wiped out many of Kharkiv’s Scots pines, causing them to shed their orange bark. “Oaks encourage biodiversity. They help mycelium growth and are good for insects and birds,” he said.

Bengus, along with a group of volunteers,...

Oaks grow hope in Ukraine.]]> 5 Wed, 02 Jul 2025 02:52:16 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/attempt-to-graft-japanese-oak-onto-cork-oak.105208/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/attempt-to-graft-japanese-oak-onto-cork-oak.105208/ invalid@example.com (SoCal2warm) SoCal2warm (Japanese "Red" oak onto cork oak. They are both evergreen)

I have just made 5 grafts onto the tree.

Does anyone have a hypothesis whether the grafts will take?


Quercus acuta is in section "Cyclobalanopsis", while Quercus suber is in section "Cerris".
Though they are both in the oak subgenus [division] "Cerris" rather than the subgenus Quercus. (Section Ilex is also in the subgenus "Cerris", but is more closely related to...

attempt to graft Japanese oak onto cork oak]]> 2 Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:29:22 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/any-use-for-copper-beech-pods.104804/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/any-use-for-copper-beech-pods.104804/ invalid@example.com ("Bonzo") "Bonzo" 4 Tue, 20 Jun 2023 16:21:59 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/spots-on-leaves-of-oak-tree-seedling.103447/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/spots-on-leaves-of-oak-tree-seedling.103447/ invalid@example.com (Laura Luris) Laura Luris 4 Mon, 22 May 2023 07:30:13 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/quercus-nigra.103352/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/quercus-nigra.103352/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler Quercus nigra. I saw a lot of these in Memorial Park in Houston, Texas. I queried Bing for Quercus paddle-shaped leaves and the Q. nigra photo looked likely, then tried Pl@ntNet and got that result. The leaves are almost unlobed on the sides, often with three lobes at the tip with very shallow sinuses.
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View attachment 243464 View attachment 243467 View attachment 243468]]> Mon, 22 May 2023 06:13:36 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/quercus-virginiana-southern-live-oak.103349/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/quercus-virginiana-southern-live-oak.103349/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler Quercus virginiana - Wikipedia, "Southern live oak is very long lived, and there are many specimens that are more than 400 years old in the deep southern United States". I was unable to get any vantage point that included more than a third of either tree. There are a LOT...

Quercus virginiana - Southern Live Oak]]> Tue, 01 Nov 2022 06:15:38 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/big-old-quercus-rubra-on-the-old-woodlands-school-site.102242/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/big-old-quercus-rubra-on-the-old-woodlands-school-site.102242/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler posting there, I mentioned the old oaks and the view of the river. Here are photos of the Quercus rubra.
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I have been trying to water them with my hose for the past couple of weeks but I don’t know if it’s enough]]> 5 Sat, 12 Jun 2021 20:38:59 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/red-oak-start-issue.100805/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/red-oak-start-issue.100805/ invalid@example.com (Dr. Green Thumb) Dr. Green Thumb
Red Oak Start Issue]]> Mon, 24 May 2021 08:59:54 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/green-pod.100607/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/green-pod.100607/ invalid@example.com (Ninthofmarch) Ninthofmarch View attachment 210722]]> 2 Sun, 06 Dec 2020 17:34:49 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/copper-vs-purple.99514/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/copper-vs-purple.99514/ invalid@example.com (Ben Stanhope) Ben Stanhope 3 Sat, 15 Aug 2020 16:27:37 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/fagus-sylvatica-aspleniifolia.98777/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/fagus-sylvatica-aspleniifolia.98777/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler Fagus sylvatica 'Aspleniifolia', fern-leaf beech, is in the Shakespeare Garden in Stanley Park. I do not know its connection to Shakespeare. The area under the tree is around 20 meters in diameter or a bit more, a nice place to hide out, which nobody really seems to do.
View attachment 187044 View attachment 187046 View attachment 187045]]> 3 Thu, 13 Aug 2020 11:17:46 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/fagus-sylvatica-purple-fountain.98754/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/fagus-sylvatica-purple-fountain.98754/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler Fagus sylvatica 'Purple Fountain' here - let's see if I have this right. It has a great location standing on its own, for now, visible driving by the north side of Queen Elizabeth Park, just past the Midlothian Ave entrance.
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Perhaps someone familiar with this park will recognize this oak? It is a very small-leaved oak and is situated immediately north of the large Quercus dentata. I believe it was described by our guide as one of the smallest-leaved oaks.]]> 3 Fri, 31 Jul 2020 22:33:15 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/oddball-oak-trees.33550/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/oddball-oak-trees.33550/ invalid@example.com (Gordo) Gordo Quercus seibertii
Quercus davidsoniae
Quercus oocarpa
Quercus panamandinaea
Quercus corrugata
Quercus copeyensis (AKA bumelioides)
Quercus seemannii
Quercus gulielmi-treleasei
Quercus baruensis

These species are listed & described in Flora of Panama & occupy a niche environment near the Costa Rican border above 1200m.
I'm especially interested to know if any of these have been re-named,...

Oddball Oak Trees]]> 8 Thu, 23 Jul 2020 03:45:47 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/potted-quercus-robur-bluish-leaves.98536/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/potted-quercus-robur-bluish-leaves.98536/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler View attachment 184428 View attachment 184429 View attachment 184430 View attachment 184431]]> Tue, 21 Jul 2020 08:17:33 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/mature-beech.98514/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/mature-beech.98514/ invalid@example.com (GreenLarry) GreenLarry 1 Tue, 21 Jul 2020 07:01:32 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/two-blocks-with-a-lot-of-different-oaks.98516/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/two-blocks-with-a-lot-of-different-oaks.98516/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler Quercus frainetto 'Schmidt', listed on the database as Forest Green, which is the trademark name. The leaf undersides felt soft.
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Two blocks with a lot of different oaks]]> 1 Mon, 20 Jul 2020 17:27:30 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/quercus-x-turneri.98486/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/quercus-x-turneri.98486/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler Quercus x turneri one year, and I still think it's that. Of course, corrections are always welcome.
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Here is the photo from 2014 with some full-sized acorns.
View attachment 184009]]> 3 Mon, 20 Jul 2020 16:17:37 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/edibility-of-beech-nuts.739/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/edibility-of-beech-nuts.739/ invalid@example.com (Daniel Mosquin) Daniel Mosquin
Hello.

I was curious as to the edibility of beech nuts. I have come up with some conflicting information.

An article I've read, "The Bounty of Beech" - by Linda Gabris, states that creosote is derived from beech. I was under the impression that creosote was carcinogenic.

Also, a book I have "Magic and Medicine of Plants by Reader's Digest"...

Edibility of beech nuts]]> 12 Mon, 20 Jul 2020 16:13:29 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/big-old-oak-and-beech-in-vancouver-west-end.98295/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/big-old-oak-and-beech-in-vancouver-west-end.98295/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler Quercus rubra, Northern Red Oak, in Vancouver.
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In the same park are three Fagus sylvatica. Here are two of them.
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Down the road a bit, at the edge of...

Big old Oak and Beech in Vancouver West End]]> 1