Is this Turkey Oak / Quercus cerris?

[The Jackel]

This is Turkey oak

[The Jackel]

Some of the bark

[SteveA]

- Tree number one is confusing me because the buds don't look like Quercus cerris / (Turkey oak) yet on the same tree the bark does have orange colour in the fissures. Do any other oak varieties show an orange colour?

 

- Tree number 2, I would say is Quercus cerris / Turkey oak... and is a very hairy bud version!

 

- Tree number three doesn't have any orange colour in the fissures of the bark so I reckon that could be a Quercus petraea / sessile oak.

[scraggs]

I cleared a big one a few years back and from memory the bark was similar but the cross cut looked nothing like what you have.

[wisecobandit]

Is the trunk pretty straight and where there hardly any "low" branches?

Most I see are normally dead straight up and almost perfectly round compared to normal oak.

[SteveA]

Is the trunk pretty straight and where there hardly any "low" branches?

Most I see are normally dead straight up and almost perfectly round compared to normal oak.

 

1) Tree one was straight until 3m (10ft), then the trunk has bends for another 3m (10ft) until it reaches the main branches of the canopy. Had a few small side branches. Fairly round, but not perfectly round.

 

2) The trunk on tree two (with the hairy buds) was very straight until 6m (20ft), I don't remember having to remove any side branches from the trunk on that one. I would say it was very round.

 

3) Tree three was a bit more bendy and with more side branches. Not perfectly round.

[wisecobandit]

1) Tree one was straight until 3m (10ft), then the trunk has bends for another 3m (10ft) until it reaches the main branches of the canopy. Had a few small side branches. Fairly round, but not perfectly round.

 

2) The trunk on tree two (with the hairy buds) was very straight until 6m (20ft), I don't remember having to remove any side branches from the trunk on that one. I would say it was very round.

 

3) Tree three was a bit more bendy and with more side branches. Not perfectly round.

 

No2 then sounds like a prime candidate for turkey oak to me especially with the hairy buds. Im no expert tho.

No3 doesn't seem to have the usual characteristics of most of the turkey oaks I see.

[SteveA]

No2 then sounds like a prime candidate for turkey oak to me especially with the hairy buds. Im no expert tho.

No3 doesn't seem to have the usual characteristics of most of the turkey oaks I see.

 

That's good to hear.

Number one is the really tricky one.... some kind of hybrid Turkey oak??

[wisecobandit]

That's good to hear.

Number one is the really tricky one.... some kind of hybrid Turkey oak??

 

Well it does sound a bit like it but as I say im no expert really. I don't really specialise in breeds but do cut quite a few beech and oak including turkey. They are always much straighter and a higher canopy as a rule compared to other oak. They just end up as firewood as altho they are long and straight the wood doesn't seem to have much purpose/use altho I read somewhere it meant to be good in water as in making stantions for footbridges and alike. Prob as your more likely to use it straightaway and not bother quite so much about seasoning and it twisting etc.

[Lignaterrae]

Are there any acorn cups on the ground? They are a good identifier being very hairy. As a timber Turkey oak has plenty of disadvantages; wide sapwood, poor drying characteristics and much lower rot resistance the Euro oak so not a good choice for outdoor use. Bonny tree though...