A scientific question

Maybe one the experts can answer this for me. If you have a hybrid between two different oak species (for example Quercus shumardii x phellos) and that tree gets old enough to produce seed, will the seedlings look like the hybrid parent? Or will one species dominate the other one? Or does it produce viable seed at all?

Es,

If the new hybrid produces seed, the offspring will probably display a range of foliar characteristics between the two original species and the some like the hybrid. This would be assuming self pollinations. If another pollen source was thrown in, like one of the original parents, it would most likely produce offspring more like it. This wouldn't rule out a few plants expressing characteristics of the other original parent. I'm just assuming basic Mendelian genetics. Perhaps there are some extenuating circumstances. If Guy were checking in he could set the record straight.

Regards,
Ernie

Ernie got it correct.

Although, occassionally you do find some Oak hybrids that seem to tend more towards one parent versus the other. I'm talking about a F1 hybrid though and not a F2 hybrid, like what escambiaguy asked about though. But this is rare and most tend to result in a range of characteristics between the 2 parent species with roughly 1/2 being equally intermediate.

Also, the vast majority of Oak hybrids are indeed fertile and produce viable seed. Even complex Oak hybrids involving several species tend to be completely fertile. I can tell you that the resulting seedlings from a hybrid, like Ernie said, depends alot on what Oak pollinated the hybrid Oak. Whenever I grow out acorns from most of my hybrid Oaks, the seedlings look mostly like they were pollinated by another Oak and not self pollinated, but that's mostly because I have a lot of Oaks growing in a relatively small area, so lots of compatible pollen. I know of isolated hybrid Oaks producing acorns which are selfed and the seedlings tend to follow the general pattern of 1/2 are intermediate, 1/4 tends towards 1 parent and the remaining 1/4 tend toward the other parent.

Yep - agree with what's already said.

Fortunately, some hybrids (thinking of Leyland Cypress . . .) are sterile.

Resin

I had forgotten that I started this thread, but I do have another question on the subject. I have read that Q.alba and Q.macrocarpa hybridizes easily. I do have some acorns of both that I will be planting soon. The Q.macrocarpa acorn is one that Lucky sent me that is the large type. If I plant these two species about 50ft apart what are the chances of hybridization? Would it be like 1% or 10%? I've searched many websites but haven't really found an answer.