A Year of Spectacular Growth

Quercus crassifolia Bonpl. new growth

Probably, it will have been a good year for trees everywhere, at least in Europe. I visited earlier in the year several different oak collections (Arboretum de la Bergerette, Arboretum de Chocha, Iturraran) and the trees in all of those places were lush and healthy.

Here we have witnessed spectacular growth across the board, with the record going to a Q. crassifolia Bonpl. that has grown more than two metres. Second and third place would probably also go to two other Mexican oaks (Q. miquihuanensis Nixon & C.H. Mull., with about a meter and a half of growth, and Q. sideroxyla Bonpl. boasting one meter). In another dimension, one of our Q. depressa Bonpl., with a shrubby, sprawling habit, forming a round patch, had a diameter of about 50 cm at the end of last year and today, of a little less than 1 m.

Amongst the Asian oaks, good growth as well, though generally more in the 60 cm category. There are some notable exceptions, for example a Q. dolicholepis A. Camus that has grown more than a meter, with the last 25 cm of that only just a week ago (second week of November) and a Q. sessilifolia Blume with an impressive 80 cm. But the champion for Asia is without contest a Q. leucotrichophora A. Camus that was 70 cm tall when it was planted in October 2013, and that has reached two meters this year. Two others, planted at the same time have hardly grown at all so maybe we have finally found a place where Q. leucotrichophora can be happy here (we have tried more times than I care to remember!).