Runner Oak

Runner Oak is a low, colony-forming native shrub oak of the coastal plain sandhills and fire-maintained xeric scrub habitats of Georgia and Florida, spreading underground by rhizomes to form dense colonies of knee-high stems across expanses of pure white sand where larger trees cannot survive — making it superficially resemble a grass colony more than a tree. Despite its small stature, Runner Oak produces full-sized acorns that are a critical food source for Florida Scrub-Jays, gopher tortoises, and black bears in the imperiled scrub ecosystem where larger mast-producing oaks may be sparse. Highly adapted to fire, Runner Oak resprouts vigorously from its extensive underground rhizome system within weeks of a scrub burn and is a dominant component of the ground-layer plant community in many Florida scrub sites. Direct sow fresh acorns in fall in infertile, pure, sandy, extremely well-drained, acidic soil in full sun — Runner Oak requires the xeric, open, fire-maintained conditions of native scrub and will not thrive in more productive or shaded environments. Спосіб посадки: Посів у відкритий ґрунт Відстань між рослинами: 120–180 дюймів Висота: 24–60 дюймів Дні до схожості: 14–30 Температура ґрунту для схожості: 4–16°C

Runner Oak is a low, colony-forming native shrub oak of the coastal plain sandhills and fire-maintained xeric scrub habitats of Georgia and Florida, spreading underground by rhizomes to form dense colonies of knee-high stems across expanses of pure white sand where larger trees cannot survive — making it superficially resemble a grass colony more than a tree. Despite its small stature, Runner Oak produces full-sized acorns that are a critical food source for Florida Scrub-Jays, gopher tortoises, and black bears in the imperiled scrub ecosystem where larger mast-producing oaks may be sparse. Highly adapted to fire, Runner Oak resprouts vigorously from its extensive underground rhizome system within weeks of a scrub burn and is a dominant component of the ground-layer plant community in many Florida scrub sites. Direct sow fresh acorns in fall in infertile, pure, sandy, extremely well-drained, acidic soil in full sun — Runner Oak requires the xeric, open, fire-maintained conditions of native scrub and will not thrive in more productive or shaded environments. Спосіб посадки: Посів у відкритий ґрунт Відстань між рослинами: 120–180 дюймів Висота: 24–60 дюймів Дні до схожості: 14–30 Температура ґрунту для схожості: 4–16°C --- Час посадки: -8–-2 тижнів осіння посадка Direct sow fresh acorns in fall at 1–2 inch depth in pure, infertile, sandy, extremely well-drained, acidic soil in full sun. Runner Oak requires xeric scrub conditions and will not compete in heavier or more productive soils; the rhizomatous root system means it spreads vigorously once established.