On Jun 2, 1:12 pm, Treedweller wrote:
On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 06:56:49 GMT, "Dave"
wrote:
[snip]Live Oak doesn't do that. Sprouts don't exist per se. Only the acorn can
produce such a growth if Live Oak. Looking at native Live Oak in S. central
TX. All the same. Quack arborist.
Dave

"Quack."

"Live oak sprouts abundantly from the root collar and roots. When tops
are killed or when the tree is girdled, roots near the ground surface
send up numerous sprouts. "
--http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/quercus/virginia...

"47. Q: Client has sprouts coming up under a live oak tree. They
believe these to be from acorns. Can these sprouts be treated with a
herbicide and not hurt the live oak tree?
Q: why not simply cut the shoots back regularly rather than use a herbicide? Alright, a bit time consuming, better alround though. The use of herbicides is short term thinking in the grand scheme of things.
A: These sprouts could be from the tree roots. Would need to make
certain they are from acorns before treating. Better to cut off 2 to 3
inches below ground level."
--http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/trees/tree.html

"Live oak sprouts from both root collar and from shallow roots. When a
tree is cut every root may send up three or four sprouts. When sprouts
are mowed, new ones appear in even greater numbers. This makes
unwanted live oaks difficult to kill."
--http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/Extension/pubtxt/for4.htm

"Live oak sprouts from root collars and from roots. Dense clonal
colonies sometimes result from this mode of reproduction, and have
been observed up to 20 m (66 feet) in diameter."
--http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Quercu_virginic.htm

This from 10 seconds of googling. If anyone with an open mind wants
more evidence, I can refer them to some places in Austin where they
can see it for themselves.

Keith Babberney
ISA Certified Arborist #TX-0236AT

Oaks are clever, the shoots thrown up are part of their survival
tactics, helps then to continue when grazed upon etc.