Long story about why I need trees + acorn i.d.!

Here is my long story! (I will try to make it shorter=)

My DH and I are in contract for 57 acres of undeveloped land. We may build a house there, but it wouldn't be for at least 5 years. In the meantime, DH will use this as hunting land. About all that is currently growing there are mesquite trees, broomweed and some native grasses. We are in zone 7b. The soil is clay,clay and more clay. (Except for a few areas that are sandstone.)

We are very interested in wildlife management and the first thing that we will do is build a pond. I will want to plant lots of Bald Cypress around the pond as it is my favorite tree. Dh loves Oaks and knows that this will feed the wildlife. He also wants to plant persimmons. I have researched and decided that the virginian persimmon is better suited to our zone. Since we are putting lots of money into buying the land, there isn't much left for trees. But, we both realize that trees are of the utmost importance and the sooner we get them planted, the better.

My sweet daughters have been going for walks in our neighborhood and picking up acorns for us to start trees from. We have a couple of live oaks, one bur oak, a lot of common acorns that I think are red oaks and then three of the cutest striped acorns. I have included a picture of the striped acorn, just in case someone can tell me what it is. Also, does anyone have experience with starting Bald cypress trees or persimmons from seed?

Thanks for reading if you have made it this far!

=)Necia

Persimmon trees are easy to start from seed. Just clean off the pulp from the seed and plant them outside in pots. They will sprout this coming spring. Be prepared to cage them after they go in the ground because deer love to browse them.

The acorn is shaped like a White oak acorn, but I'm just not sure about the stripes. Anyway you could get some leaves from the trees they came from?

Extremely difficult to ID an Oak from just a capless acorn. But based on where you are and the stripes(which signify an Oak in the Red Oak group (Lobatae)), I'd say it's likely to be Quercus shumardi (Shumard Oak) or perhaps Quercus buckleyi (Texas Red Oak), although it's a bit on the large size for Texas Red Oak. Both are commonly planted in and around Wichita Falls, and both grow natively around that area as well.

Also, you should try some of the Asian Persimmons(Diospyros kaki) also, if you are interested in eating them yourself. I'd also give the Texas Persimmon (Diospyros texana) a try. There are plenty growing in the Dallas-Fort Worth area just fine and I think their fruit is tastier than most of the Common Persimmons(Diospyros virginiana) I've had. They have stunningly beautiful bark as well. I know most sources claim they are only hardy to zone 8, but I believe that's mostly from lack of cultivation and an overly conservative guess based on their native range. I grow lots of trees and shrubs from their native range up here in zone 6 Kansas just fine and I'd bet Texas Persimmon is zone 7 hardy or maybe more(especially ones from West Texas). I'm trying a couple of seedlings next year that I grew from the fruit of ones I ate while in Dallas. I've had good luck growing all three from seed so far, just like escambiaguy said, just clean the pulp off and plant them out in pots, or put the pots in an unheated garage or barn where you can better protect them from animals trying to dig up the seeds and eat them, like rodents.

Another option you may want to consider for next year since most are sold out, is ordering seedlings from the Texas Forestry Service — their West Texas Nursery.
https://tfsstore.tamu.edu/wtn/ The trees come in bundles of 25 - 30, are reasonably priced. Are cheaper than trees ordered from their Central Texas Nursery because the trees are smaller. Growing conditions in Central Texas are supposed to be a harsher environment for seedlings so larger ones are sold.
Or their Central Texas Nursery:
https://tfsstore.tamu.edu/wtn/ctsp/ctsp.asp

I just received some Quercus nuttallii acorns that look very similar to your acorn. Maybe it's Q. nuttallii?
Mike

Also try the Arbor Day foundation http://www.arborday.org/ Large selection of trees and minimal cost.

The only problem with the Arbor Day trees is that you get what you pay for.

And what's wrong with Arbor Day trees? I'm a former Nebraskan, so I know from experience there wouldn't be the number of trees there are were it not for the Arbor Foundation. If earthtiller wants to prove up that big an acreage that would be a fairly inexpensive way to go. Since TX like NE is more plains country. Most of those trees were picked to go in to kind of areas. Arbor Day originated in NE basically to help provide a source for inexpensive trees to farmers to help create man planted hedgerows and windbreaks and help prevent erosion.

If you read the comments in Garden Watchdog about Arbor Day, some people have not had good luck with the trees they were sent. Based on something that I read on another thread, I think the biggest problem may be with the free trees that they send you when you join, if I remember right someone said that the quality of the trees you can buy from them later is better.

I finally located the comments on the Watchdog, it seems to be running 50-50. I did read with some amusement several who were highly indignant their "free" trees were sticks. Major duh! For the $10 membership, I wouldn't hesitate to give it a try. There are a couple of other "cheapo" tree sites, but those are on my other computer, but I'm make a note and look them up.

You might try university of Idaho, but you will have to check zone ratings ( web-site http://seedlings.uidaho.com/ ), they have 100% feedback. I just planted 11 trees from arbor day. Not impressed, and I did not recieve my 10 free trees yet for my membership rejoining fee. Last year I joined and got the 10 free twigs. The ones I bought and just recieved last week are larger than the free ones, but still not impressive. If you want to donate, donate as it seems to be a good cause, but if you want trees you might try somewhere else.