The promiscuity of oaks

Did you know? Oak species are notorious for hybridizing and causing foresters and systematists headaches!

The acorns are falling all over deciduous forests of the northern hemisphere, but what kind are they? Scientists recognize between 500-600 species of oak trees, many of which hybridize with each other. Oaks are wind-pollinated and are known to easily (relatively speaking) cross-pollinate other species. The hybrid offspring can assume characteristics of either the mother or the father plant, resulting in new varieties of tree sizes, leaf shapes, environmental resilience (like pathogen resistance), and possibly even new methods of functioning!

Go deeper: Learn more about oak evolution with this accessible article in Scientific American.

Challenge yourself: If you’ve never tried to identify oak trees before, give it a shot by simply trying to identify whether it’s a white oak or red oak. White oaks have rounded, smooth leaf lobes, and red oaks have bristles on the tips of their leaf lobes. Collect a (fallen) leaf sample of the different oaks you find and you may be surprised at the diversity of leaf shapes and sizes you begin to notice.

Get engaged: If you are a member of the Isaak Walton League of Lynchburg, join us Monday at 9:30 to collect acorns for the Virginia Department of Forestry!