Acrons!*

[furtech]

While my car is being fixed, I'm doing some searches that I keep putting off for lack of time. The big search this time is for...Acorns!

I've been trying to find a site that sells plantable acorns, located in Southern California. Apparently acorns are so plentiful and easily gathered that -no one- sells them! Unfortunately, I'm looking for -specific- varieties of oaks, not just the plentiful "Interior Live Oak". The oaks I'm focused on are the Blue Oak or the White Oak: I want a tree that has leaves without spines and big, round acorns. I'd settle for the Mesa Oak or the Canyon Live Oak. Also, I need acorns from trees living in a similar environment (ie, hot and dry, not coastal and wet). If anyone knows of a source for these, I'd be very grateful (and a *thwack* for those smartasses who suggest "oak trees" as the best source for acorns!). Unfortunately, acorns need to be "fresh", from the current season, to be viable. So sources could include an actual tree in an accessable location.

I was bemused at Ebay's sponsored link suggestions... I'm sure Target.com has a HUGE selection of acorns...and the, "Compare prices on acorns and SAVE MONEY," had me laughing out loud.


Acorns For Sale
Low Priced Acorns.
Huge Selection! (aff)
ebay.com

Acorns
Compare Prices on Acorns
and Save Money!
Kadazzle.com

Acorns
Acorns online
Shop Target.com
www.target.com


*Yes-- it's a *joke!*

Comments

[crocuta.livejournal.com]

My mom uses a lot of catalogues for native trees, shrubs and plants in her line of work and most of the places are based out here. They do sell acorns too. The problem is that they usually only sell in bulk (50-100 being a small order as they plant hundreds at a time.) I can check up on some companies for you if you're interested. Some I'm sure do retail stuff.

http://www.laspilitas.com/index.htm
Might be able to help but it looks like mostly you'll find container grown unfortunately.
I was looking for native plants for work related stuff a year ago so some of the places I still have bookmarked.

[furtech.livejournal.com]

I'll check the link and stand by on the native tree catalog-- if Eric (below) can gather a few handfuls for me that might do it...(thanks a ton!)

Donguri?

[crocuta.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! It just so happens that my mom called me last night so I mentioned it in passing and I got far more info than anyone would ever want about getting acorns. Including mass collection methods and stuff like that! I think finding a Totoro would be easier tho. Gotta love Mom. So if you ever do need methods for collection or places to buy from I can fill ya in. O.O
Good luck with it!

[iisaw.livejournal.com]

Gee... acorns. Where would I get acorns? *Looks over shoulder and does a startled double-take* E-gad!

We've got both Blue and White oaks up here. I can send you a bunch of acorns when the trees start producing them.

Just remind me in the early fall.

[furtech.livejournal.com]

Wow-- you have blue *and* white oaks out there? That's -great-! If you can decap them and do a cursury inspection (look for those tiny weevil holes), I'd really appreciate it! Apparently they tree-ripen late-September/October (but you probably already know that). Cool!

Have you noticed how fast they grow? These would have regular irrigation, so that shouldn't be a problem-- but (being an impatient city-guy) I'd like to plant more of the faster-growing of the two. I'm psyched!!

[iisaw.livejournal.com]

Well, they don't grow all that fast. About 2ft a year... but that's up here where they don't get watered except when it rains. I don't know which one grows faster but the Blue Oaks are the more impressive of the two.

[furtech.livejournal.com]

Two foot/year sounds good to me! Some species grow -really- slowly.

[dustmeat.livejournal.com]

Out here we have mostly Live Oak, but some White Oak and I think Post Oak or Burr Oak.

[whiteyfawks.livejournal.com]

We had white oaks at the golf course I worked at many moons ago. Very stately trees, very nice canopy. And they stay very presentable as long as you prunce em every so often to remove the strays from the trunk.

[furtech.livejournal.com]

That's why I'm all over white or blue oaks: nice leaves, nice fruit and (eventually) a nice canopy. Hopefully with regular watering they'll get to a decent size sooner than later!

[spunkywulf.livejournal.com]

Just don't keep the acorns for too long or they get grubs :) When I was a little girl I collected them around the yard, and kept them in a small collection I had. I came home from school one day to see that my collection had developed little white grubs. Needless to say, I didn't store acorns anymore :)

[furtech.livejournal.com]

Yeah-- acorns and kids are a perfect kind of match: nice size, they feel solid and important and they're plentiful and mostly unbreakable. Mysterious things to a kid!

That's why you need to check for holes: weevils get into 'em (and the grubs are their larvae). Not only does this destroy the seed, but they're gross!

oaks?

[kvogel.livejournal.com]

I've got two white oak starts in pots in my yard right now if you want one. I actually don't want any oaks myself, but squirrels keep planting acorns in the yard anad I either pull them as "weeds" or pot them for any interested gardener. I've also got chestnuts, hazelnuts, and bamboo free to good homes.

Re: oaks?

[furtech.livejournal.com]

Maybe...the reading I've done on them did say that one should gets nuts/trees from a similar environment. They said that, for instance, oaks from the foggy, moist coastal areas would not do well in hot, interior locations (even if they're the same species). But I'll go over this with you when I head north again.

Re: oaks?

[kvogel.livejournal.com]

Remember this is not exactly a coastal climate, with the summer dry season (all jokes aside, we DO have a summer dry season). The effect is mostly in the moderation of temperatures, without the extreames that other areas of the state have. If nothing else, it is an already sprouted start and otherwise disposeable.p