I collected acorns from two separate sources, one nearby, one on the other
side of the country.

I propagated five acorns from the remote source, and six from the local
source.

Unfortunately, a close encounter with a family member seeking pots meant I
had to repot the acorns from discarded materials and the identification of
the source was lost.

Surprisingly, after such appalling treatment, most of the acrons seem to
have taken with two plants showing very good signs of developing.

I would like to identify them, and have collected leaf specimens from the
nearby source. Unfortunately, the leaves are of such variety in colour,
shape and length that I cannot find any reliable difference between these
leaves and any of the seedling trees.

I have photographs of the reference leaves, and of the various young trees
and I'd appreciate the assistance of someone who knows a great deal more
than I about this. (Not a hard call given I know no more than the above
grin.)

Where may I post these images, since I don't see any images posted on this
newsgroup at all.

Kind regards

John.

In article ,
John Silver wrote:
From your reply I also interpret that I won't be able to differentiate
between the trees until they are another couple of years old; that is until
bark is distinctive, growth has been substantial and they have fruited.
That's a shame since I feel that within the next twelve months they will
have outgrown their pots and I will be making my choice on the one I will
transplant in the corner of my garden.

A healthy plant was a first criterion, but the remote plant has some
emotional attachment so if I can correctly identify its seedling, that is
the one I want to keep. Given the size of a fully grown oak, I don't have
space for two grin

Plant both, or all of them. After a few years, cut all except the one
you want to keep.

Yeah, the idea of killing a tree, or any long-lived plant I've nurtured
from seed, makes me cringe, too! ;-)

Good luck. Not enough people plant trees from seed, and we end up with
large stands of a few cloned cultivars, just waiting for the next disease
or pest to come by and clobber them. And having a grown tree you started
from seed is more gratifying than one you purchased from a nursery.

That's why I went for propagation from acorn. Which, as you seem to
understand also means the remotely gathered acorn has another connection.

Sadly, I haven't space to plant more than one, but I think I shall have a
little while longer before I have to make a decision.

Kind regards

John

wrote in message
.. .
In article ,
John Silver wrote:
From your reply I also interpret that I won't be able to differentiate
between the trees until they are another couple of years old; that is
until
bark is distinctive, growth has been substantial and they have fruited.
That's a shame since I feel that within the next twelve months they will
have outgrown their pots and I will be making my choice on the one I will
transplant in the corner of my garden.

A healthy plant was a first criterion, but the remote plant has some
emotional attachment so if I can correctly identify its seedling, that is
the one I want to keep. Given the size of a fully grown oak, I don't have
space for two grin

Plant both, or all of them. After a few years, cut all except the one
you want to keep.

Yeah, the idea of killing a tree, or any long-lived plant I've nurtured
from seed, makes me cringe, too! ;-)

Good luck. Not enough people plant trees from seed, and we end up with
large stands of a few cloned cultivars, just waiting for the next disease
or pest to come by and clobber them. And having a grown tree you started
from seed is more gratifying than one you purchased from a nursery.