Oaks are a cornerstone of resilient wildlife habitat and human food. They feed everything from bears to squirrels to caterpillars to cows. Acorns need to be processed to feed people, but so does wheat. We make acorn bread and cookies and grits here for our family. They are one of the heartiest, most delicious foods when prepared well. That picture is of my son eating acorn grits for breakfast.

Varieties

Bur x Gamble Oak- Awesome hybrid oak. This tree produces huge crops of acorns at a very young age. The acorns are medium/small in size, but extremely low in tannins. One change of water is enough to leach these acorns.

Swamp White Oak (quercus bicolor)- Highly adaptable oak used widely in street plantings because of its tolerance to all forms of abuse. Swamp white is flood tolerant but also drought tolerant. Beautiful leaves are dark green on top and silver underneath, hence the name bicolor.

English Oak (quercus robur) Super tough oak tree. These are widely planted by cities because of their extreme tolerance to the worst soil conditions and drought even at a young age. Their smooth, large acorns are easy to gather and highly sought after by wildlife. They bear large crops of acorns at a young age.

Bur Oak (quercus macrocarpa): Possibly the most adaptable of all the oak species. Tolerant of wet or dry soils, alkaline or acid. Thrives in hot and cold climates. Bur oaks grow very fast, produce beautiful rot resistant wood, and are one of the most majestic of all oaks. Acorns are very large and very low in tannins. Highly valued by wildlife and foragers.

Chestnut Oak (quercus montana): So named for its chestnut shaped leaves. Chestnut oaks are possibly the most drought tolerant. They thrive on ridge lines and steep slopes.

Chinkapin Oak (quercus muehlenbergii): Very tough oak that tolerates high alkaline and limestone soils. Widely planted in urban areas for that reason. Produces copious amounts of small, low tannin acorns.

Ooti Oak (quercus spp): Oak of unknown origin, we first found this tree at the Cornell Arboretum. Acorns are enormous, almost golf ball size. Low in tannins

Mastodon Oak (quercus rubra): This is a monster red oak. After observing wildlife and oak trees and eating acorns for many years, I am convinced that the red oak is the real workhorse of this genus (at least in the Northeast). The mastodon oak is an incredible tree that we found, estimated to be 300 years old. It is an ancient serious producer of mast with limbs that invoke the feeling of a giant mastodon.

Scarlet Oak (quercus coccinea): Outstanding member of the Red oak group, Scarlet oak is known for it’s brilliant fall color but is also a heavy producer of durable quality acorns