Hardy Oak Trials
I decided to cast about the Southwestern mountains for mast trees that can tolerate local conditions in Williams. The region starting at the western side of the Trans-Pecos Range in Texas and extending through Southern New Mexico all the way to the ranges of eastern Arizona, is the home of tens of species of high elevation oaks not seen on local plant palletes. All are accustomed to occasional arctic cold, monsoon rains, dry, windy springs, and limestone soils.
In March and April 2008 I planted a large sampling of Southwestern oaks into the warming ground. Over 25 unique varieties were planted, including a Valley oak from Southern New Mexico, a Canby Oak and a Mexican White oak from northern Mexico, an evergreen Net-leaf oak, a Silver Leafed Oak, and a Chisos Red Oak, from 6000' elevation in Big Bend National Park. I also trialed several "shin-oak" varieties from Texas, like Q. mohriana, Q. vasseyana, and Q. sinuata.
Kept
safe within layers of wire, insulated by a cool, deep mulch
and irrigated weekly, all the oaks have taken to their
holes and put on a lot of top-growth. Three layers of wire
protect each young tree. Working outwards, first comes the
1/2" galvanized mesh to repel voles and mice. Then a tall
tube of chicken wire goes in the hole to repel gophers and
cottontail rabbits. Then a three-foot high minimum column
of 2x4", heavy gauge welded wire deters deer, jackrabbits,
javelinas and the occasional, curious
elk.
The Checkerspot caterpillar and leaf-cutter bee are tough
on deciduous plants here. But only the larger, less
woody-leaved oaks like Q. shummardii lost chunks of
leaf to them. Some of the spur-throated grasshoppers
nibbled at leaf-edges here and there, but they did little
damage to the oaks. Q. texana, Q. glaucoides,
and Q. gravesii grew the most this first year in the
ground. Q. gravesii grew over three feet between May
and September. Q. glaucoides and Q. texana
put on 18 inches.