I've asked so many people about these two oak trees here at Menucha, an estate about 20 miles east of Portland, that now I'd like to be able to say what they are. I was told they're probably white oak, but the lobes have pointed tips, so it can't be that, can it? Together, they make an impressive sight.
Re: Is this black oak? Thanks, Susan. Shumard oaks have never been reported growing naturally this far west, but I suppose it could have been planted.
Re: Is this black oak? Any oak in the red oak group in the PNW is going to be planted, there's no native red oaks in the region (California Black Oak Quercus kelloggii in southern Oregon is the closest). Northern Red Oak Quercus rubra is perhaps the most likely to be grown, but several others are possible. Needs some close-up studio pics of the leaves, from both above and below, for identification.
Re: Is this black oak? Here are closeups of the leaves. The first photos are the bark of the tree on the left and the tree on the right. The rest of the photos are probably from the tree on the right. The indoor ones were from ones I picked up from the ground. The leaves did not appear to be a different colour on the undersides, unlike how they appear in the third photo here. They were not downy. I'd have said hairless. I didn't see any "prominent axillary tufts of tomentum" as mentioned on the eFloras.org shumard oak page.
Re: Is this black oak? Is it possible the tomentum is only present a certain time of year? The bark and leaf shape seem to match the description at eflora.
Re: Is this black oak? Could be Quercus kelloggii, the uniform pubescence on the underside of the leaves fits. But confirmation or otherwise with the key in Flora N America needs mature acorns.
Re: Is this black oak? It turns out if you root around in the wet grass under an oak tree, you can find acorns. I've tried to show the size relative to a US quarter and the short side of a personal card. Also, these leaves no longer have water on them. The top is not shiny, and the bottom shows up as the same colour. The stems might be very lightly pubescent, but if there are hairs anywhere on the leaf surface top or bottom, you'd need a magnifier to see them. I should add that these are emerging spring leaves.
Re: Is this black oak? Reply received from Guy Sternberg: "I guess it might just be a funky Quercus rubra growing outside its natural range and looking like it's on vacation"
Re: Is this black oak? Thanks, everyone. I love the line about it looking like it's on vacation. It was a great place to vacation. It wasn't too windy when I was there, but the place is perched up at the top of a cliff and it's easy to believe there might be a lot of wind.
