English Oak (Quercus robur) is in the White Oak group
English Oak, as its name implies, is an Oak tree native to England (or more accurately Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia). It is similar in leaf appearance to White Oak, but does not have its spreading majesty with age or its reddish foliage color in autumn. Under landscape conditions in urban environments, it may reach 50 feet tall and 50 feet wide. The growth habit of English Oak is upright, densely oval, and symmetrical through middle age then becoming more spreading with advanced maturity. Growth rate is slow to moderate, 12 to 18 inches a yealr. It tolerates drought, pollution, restricted root space and a wide range of pH.
English Oak has leaves that are alternate, slightly obovate, with lobes that are 3 to 5 inches long. Leaf shape is variable and most easily confused with White Oak. The lobes are rounded, and are dark green with pale underside. Foliage is brown in the fall. English Oak is monoecious, having catkins in mid-spring that fertilize female flowers on the same or nearby trees, producing long acorns that only take a single season to mature, like other members of the White Oak group. Acorns are 1 to 2 inches on stalks with heavy crops at 2 to 4 year intervals.
English Oak Choices
Asjes (Rose Hill TM) has a crown that is a narrow oval. The blue green foliage turns yellow in the fall. Attention is a narrow, pyramidal tree reaching a height of 45 feet but spreading only 12 feet. Crimschmidt (Crimson Spire TM) A. fastigiate is a cultivar with red fall color. The plant is a hybrid of Q. robur and Q. alba and will reach a height of 45 feet but a spread of only 15 feet. Fastigiata is narrowly columnar with ascending branches, reach mature heights up to 60 feet and 10 to 18 feet wide. Fastigiata (Skyrocket TM) This form of 'Fastigiata' is only 15 feet wide and is uniformly narrow and upright. Michround (Westminster Globe TM) is a Schmidt introduction with a symmetrical round head reaching a height and spread of 45 feet. Pyramich (Skymaster TM)is another Schmidt introduction that is narrow when young but becomes pyramidal with age.
