About what size do white oaks start producing acorns?

I scouted a new area of my lease and found quite a few white oaks about 8-12" in diameter. I did not see a lot of acorns and I was wondering if they have been eaten or are the oaks not producing any acorns at that size.

Hawgnman -

From what I've learned - White oaks will produce acorns in 30-35 yrs. Trunk diameter will vary of course depending on location and competition with other trees - but generally 8" diameter (breast height) trunks would indicate 30+ yr old trees, and they should be dropping acorns.

Oak trees that have been allowed to grow in full sun (old pastures, parks, etc) will have a much larger canopy and produce more acorns, than same age trees competing in a harwoods setting. If your trees are tall, with few branches, and not much of a canopy - they will not drop as many - it stands to reason. If its your land, you can thin them and increase the canopy in 5-7 years for more production of acorns.

These white oaks are mixed in a pine plantation. They do not have many branches and almost none that are horizonal. I guess there is to much competition from those tall growing pines. My estimate of 8-10" was 2' above the ground so I doubt if they are producing yet.

Thanks for the info.

Based on my experiences white oaks will start to bear at about 15 years if given good management and an open area. They only have small crops at this age. This would be about 6" dbh. Red oaks and English Oaks (a white oak) start bearing at about 10 years and have larger crops than the white oaks. I can't wait to see what the Sawtooth Oaks do.

Dan O.

Dan, or anyone else -

I've never started hardwoods before -

I'm planting 25 White oaks as seedlings this spring, would you suggest planting them in a small protected area and then transfer them later to the site - or would you just plant them?

I'm thinking 25-30 ft spacing - do you agree ? - I would like to manage for full canopy.

Dan - I'm glad to hear you have had experience with 15-20 yr old trees dropping acorns - I hope I can have that result.

Finally, would you reccomend tree tubes, wire mesh, stakes, tree mats, nothing??


Thanks for any additional information.

farm hunter; with white oaks a 25-30 ft spacing is good for the final planting but you will loose and maybe want to remove some trees along the way. The conservation authority is our area plants on a 10 x 10' grid to account for future removal. The tubes help but the biggest problem that you'll run into with hardwoods is root competition. They have a hard time putting out roots if grass is growing next to the trunk. The best growth and survival that I've been able to obtain is when I applied a 3' diameter x 6" deep mulch of wood chips. As I've later found out the wood chips feed fungus rather than the bacteria that hay or grass would when they break down.. The hardwoods need this interaction with the soil fungus to obtain nutrients. The mulch also helps to maintain soil moisture. If you can't apply a mulch the minimal would be to apply herbicide. If you use Roundup you;ll have to be very careful. Possibly using a stove pipe over the tree when spraying. I've tried Simazine but it seemed to retard the tree growth.

You could grow the trees in 5 gallon containers for a couple of years to let them develop better root systems. This also allows you to plant them in a root ball which reduces transplant shock.

Dan O.

thanks Dan - I very much appreciate your advice.

wish me luck!