Oak: Garry Oak - Potted

Garry oaks are an oak native to the Pacific Northwest.

Oaks have been an important food source for humans and animals throughout North America. In the territories of the Pentlatch, Qualicum, and K'omoks where we live, and on Coast Salish territories more broadly, Garry oaks (Quercus garyanna) are a crucial part of kwetlal food systems: an Indigenous savannah food system managed by controlled burns, providing abundant kwetlal (camas) harvests alongside acorns for humans and wildlife. Garry oaks are adapted to our dry summers, making them hardy and drought-tolerant. Like other oaks, Garry oak acorns have tannins, which need to be leached out by soaking them in water in order to make the nuts palatable for humans. Nuts can be roasted, boiled, or dried and milled into a flour.

Planting: While oaks can germinate and grow in a forest, these oaks do best in a sunny spot. They can tolerate acidic soils and a wide range of climates (growing as far north as Alaska and as far south as Texas). Oaks are wind-pollinated so they require at least two to make acorns. Planting several in the same area helps to ensure adequate pollination. Water for the first few years while they're getting established. Best planted when dormant (Nov-Mar) but can be planted later in spring.

Why potted? If you won't be planting your trees right away and you don't feel sure about storing bare root trees then you want potted trees.  Potted trees will allow you more flexibility with transplanting timelines and late spring installations, however, they are more expensive to produce and to ship.

Our nuts are grown in tree pots, which are designed with a large opening at the bottom to air prune the root. When the taproot reaches the bottom, instead of circling around, the opening enables the root to gently 'self-prune' itself, stimulating the growth of feeder roots further up.