IOS Tour of the Carolinas

North and South Carolina offer an outstanding combination of native species and top-of-their-class oak collections. Renowned plantsman and plant hunter Adam Black will show us the oak delights these states offer—plus a brief dip into Georgia. The IOS is grateful to Bartlett Tree Experrts for generously supporting this Tour.

Deadline for registration: August 31, 2024

Highlights of the itinerary include: 

Gardens

• Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories and Arboretum, Charlotte, North Carolina
• citywide arboretum at Aiken, South Carolina 
• campus-wide arboretum at Georgia Southern University at Armstrong, Georgia
• JC Raulston Arboretum, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Juniper Level Botanical Garden/Plant Delights Nursery
• Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Durham, North Carolina

  

   

Oaks in natural habitat

• various ecoregions in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Piedmont, and the Coastal Plain of the Carolinas
• Francis Marion National Forest, South Carolina
• some of the oak species we expect to see: Quercus alba, Q. austrina, Q. falcata, Q. geminata, Q. ilicifolia, Q. incana, Q. laevis, Q. laurifolia, Q. lyrata, Q. margaretta, Q. marilandica, Q. michauxii, Q. montana, Q. nigra, Q. pagoda, Q. pumila, Q. rubra, Q. shumardii, Q. similis, Q. stellata, Q. velutina, Q. virginiana

  

Notable oak trees

• the Centennial Oak (Q. macrocarpa), Clemson University Campus
• the Angel Oak (Q. virginiana), Charleston, South Carolina

  

   

The Tour has been scheduled to start following the International Oak Symposium at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (October 7 - 10) so that those interested can participate in both events.

For further information and to reserve a place on the Tour please write to tours@internationaloaksociety.org. 

Itinerary

Day 0: Friday, October 11

Arrive in Charlotte, North Carolina. Evening reception at Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories and Arboretum.

Accommodation: Charlotte

Day 1: Saturday, October 12

Travel: Crowders Mountain and return to Charlotte

Activities: Tour Bartlett’s oak collections. Afternoon trip to nearby Crowders Mountain for an easy hike to see the southernmost disjunct Quercus ilicifolia, among all the typical oaks of the Piedmont region.

Accommodation: Charlotte

Day 2: Sunday, October 13

Travel: south to Clemson, South Carolina

Activities: Driving tour through North Carolina/South Carolina mountains to see the representative oaks. Descent back into the Piedmont towards Clemson for the night; see the impressive Centennial Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) on the Clemson University campus.

Accommodation: Clemson, South Carolina

Day 3: Monday, October 14

Travel: to Aiken, South Carolina

Activities: Head to Aiken, briefly stopping to see Quercus oglethorpensis population. Spend the day with Bob McCartney and Aaron Campbell touring the rare oaks in the citywide arboretum.

Accommodation: Aiken, South Carolina

Day 4: Tuesday, October 15

Travel: Aiken to Savannah, Georgia, the continue to Charleston, South Carolina

Activities: Tour the campus-wide arboretum at Georgia Southern University at Armstrong with Philip Schretter, see noteworthy oaks such as the biggest Quercus insignis in the southeastern US, Castanopsis fissa, and other rare oaks. Head to Charleston and visit the Angel Oak (massive Quercus virginiana) and see native coastal plain oaks in the region (Q. geminata, etc).

Accommodation: Charleston, South Carolina

Day 5: Wednesday, October 16e

Travel: Charleston to Raleigh, North Carolina

Activities: Francis Marion National Forest and surrounding area. Head to Raleigh. Oak species to see: Q. similis, Q. geminata, Q. margaretta, Q. michauxii, Q. laurifolia, etc.

Accommodation: Raleigh, North Carolina

Day 6: Thursday, October 17

Activities: Visit JC Raulston Arboretum and Juniper Level Botanical Garden/Plant Delights Nursery.

Oak species to see: oak collections in the gardens

Accommodation: Raleigh, North Carolina

Day 7: Friday, October 18

Travel: to Durham (return to Charlotte)

Activities: Visit Sarah P. Duke Gardens

Oak species to see: oak collection at the Gardens

End of tour (participants travel to Raleigh/Durham airport for flights or return to Charlotte with the van).