Author: Brad MacDonald

There are few trees that have such a long recorded history as the Oak. And it’s no wonder, considering that oaks are one of the longest living trees in the Northern Hemisphere. Astonishingly, the “Major Oak” growing in Sherwood forest in Nottinghamshire, England is touted to be between 800 and 1000 years old! There is a long standing tradition that Robin Hood actually used the tree as a hiding place while on the run from the Sheriff of Nottingham! Isn’t that cool? Yes it is!

Most oaks prefer slightly acidic, evenly moist, average soil. They are not generally fast growing, but eventually can become very large. The species following are all considered large trees when mature, and are often planted in parks and larger landscapes off island. Luckily, as with many trees, there are cultivars that will fit into smaller gardens. Upright cultivars like ‘Fastigiata’ and Regal Prince (r) are equally hardy and perform well on Nantucket

Sawtooth Oak, Quercus acutissima is a broadly pyramidal tree that might reach 40 to 60 feet tall on the mainland, likely somewhat shorter on Nantucket. It’s leaves don’t have a classic oak shape. They look much more like hornbeam or beech tree leaves to me. They open yellow in spring, mature to a glabrous green in summer and, in good years, will turn a clear yellow in November, before aging to tan. They are very easy to grow and resist pests and diseases. Like all oaks, they are slow to mature, and juvenile trees will tend to hold their leaves all winter. Sawtooth Oak can produce very heavy crops of acorns, and they are generally the earliest to ripen of the genus.

Swamp White Oak, Quercus bicolor, is a broad tree tree that will reach 50 to 60 feet tall on the mainland. The overall shape is a wide, round-topped crown, with a short trunk. The leaves of this species are much more recognizable; deep green, lustrous and lobed, with a grayish fuzz on the underside. Naturally occurring in moist areas with acidic soil, they are an ideal tree for a low area on your property in need of a majestic shade tree.

English Oak, Quercus robur, is also a broad tree with a height and spread of 40 to 60 feet on the mainland.  The canopy is broad and rounded. The dark blue/green leaves of English Oak have a typical Oak-shape,  with rounded lobes.

• Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’ is an excellent   upright cultivar  that will grow very tall, but only 10-15 feet wide.
• We have also stocked Regal Prince (r), which is a hybrid between English and Swamp
  White oak.  This particular variety is touted to be very tight, almost oval in habit.

As deciduous trees and shrubs begin to drop their leaves, evergreens become more and more visible around the island. There are many species of evergreen trees that grow well on Nantucket. Pine trees are one of the most widespread.

Eastern White Pine, Pinus strobus, Scot’s Pine, Pinus sylvestris, Pitch Pine, Pinus rigida, and Jack Pine, Pinus banksiana can all be found growing in different areas of Nantucket. The majority of pine trees seen in our forested areas are Pitch Pine.  This is a medium-sized tree that is native to eastern North America. Pitch Pines have shortish needles, in bundles of three, that are often slightly twisted. Although Pinus rigida is a sturdy tree with good salt tolerance, there are many better pines for landscape use. For this reason, it is not readily available in the trade.

We sell a variety of Pines at the nursery, however the following species are the most commonly planted today:

•Austrian Pine, Pinus nigra, is much more available and often used for screening and windbreaks. They are densely pyramidal in youth, and broad, flat-topped when mature. They can reach 30-50 feet tall, inland, but will tend to remain on the shorter side close to the shore. They are often the tallest trees in a given area, due to their salt and wind tolerance. They do well in average soil as long as it is well drained and prefer not to be on automatic irrigation, once established.

•Japanese Black Pine, Pinus thunbergii, is another common pine tree that we sell at the nursery. Like Austrian pine, they are tolerant of salt spray and wind and can survive coastal conditions. These trees have been widely planted on the island for years, and have become naturalized in some areas. Because this tree is not native to North America and produces viable seed, some consider it to be problematic, and it is being removed in several areas. Pinus thunbergii ‘Thunderhead’ is a highly ornamental cultivar that is worth a try. This tree is irregularly pyramidal, with long white buds that contrast well with its dark grey-green needles. More compact than the species, ‘Thunderhead’ reaches 10 to 15 feet tall in ten years with a dense habit.

•Bosnian Pine, Pinus heldreichii aka leucodermis, is of increasing popularity. It may be a good alternative for gardeners that prefer not to plant Japanese Black Pine. Trees in the nursery are arguably more ornamental than Japanese Black Pine, and denser in habit. They are touted to have comparable salt and wind tolerance of Pinus nigra and thunbergii and are suitable for planting in dry soils. Several landscapers on the island have found Bosnian pine to be less likely to suffer infestation by black turpentine beetles than others.

Trees are one of the most impactful elements of any landscape. There are so many trees to chose from, it can be tough to select the right one for each application. Thornless Honeylocust is a great tree to plant in the lawn. It’s open branching and delicate leaves cast only dappled shade, so grass can be grown right up to the trunk, if desired.

In general, Gleditsia have a spreading irregular habit with ferny foliage. The leaves are green in summer and turn yellow in fall. Most cultivars have a short trunk and a wide spread. Some varieties will produce pendulous dark brown, twisting seed pods, that hang from the branches until late in the season, which can be a drawback. This tree is touted to be extremely tough and incredibly salt tolerant. However, during Irene, Gleditsia on the island suffered the same foliar damage as other deciduous trees.

There are several cultivars readily available in the trade, each with slightly different habits. Consider the following cultivars for your landscape:

Halka TM : Wide, symmetrical canopy. 40’t x 40’w in ideal conditions, closer to 30′ on the island. This variety may produce 8″ long pea-like seed pods that ripen to black and hang on the branches until late in the season.

Skyline R : Pyramidal form, with ascending branches. This variety maintains a central leader, making it appropriate for limbing up to create a higher canopy than most. 40’t x 35’w in ideal conditions, shorter on the island. Essentially podless variety.

Shademaster R: Excellent growth habit, upright ascending branching producing an irregular vase-shaped or rectangular form. Generally doesn’t produce seed pods. 45’t x 35′ w in ideal conditions, shorter on the island.