Israeli oaks – a worthwhile investment

Now that Quercus’s many advantages have been enumerated, it’s important to also mention the points that must be taken into account when planting oaks in public spaces, especially on streets. We first should address designing Quercus trees with a leading trunk as we are very careful to do in the nursery. This is so that their canopies will be relatively tall and meet the spatial needs of the public space where they will be planted. In general, such a design will serve the Quercus trees later in their lives in terms of a balanced canopy. There are indeed some species, such as Quercus robur (English oak), that are very sensitive to the oak ambrosia beetle that is found in Israel. In addition, consideration should be given to the acorns that fall to the ground and are likely to pose a challenge. We think that this can be surmounted with appropriate preparation in the season when the acorns fall. This is possible and practicable and indeed has been done for decades in various parts of the world. Note also that there are hybrid cultivars that do not bear acorns at all. We propose considering planting Quercus trees alongside roads, which they will surely beautify.

In the United States and Europe, many cities beautify themselves with Quercus trees along streets and boulevards. Why, then, do we hardly see any oak trees on the streets of Israeli cities? Even despite their durability and beauty, the local Israeli atmosphere they contribute to and the fact that they last for many years? We at the nursery think that the choice not to plant Quercus trees along streets is wrong.

Let’s consider Quercus ithaburensis (the Mount Tabor oak). It is the classic Israeli tree. It is one of the most ancient Quercus species in the world. the “king of the oaks.” Q. ithaburensis has features that guarantee robustness, strength and durability. It is deciduous and has a medium growth rate, which allows it to develop optimally and to live for years. Its growth rate can be improved with auxiliary watering. The tree is solid – it has a broad, round canopy. Its fall display is short-lived: it starts rather late in winter, and its leaves return at the beginning of spring. An adult specimen’s fall display is impressive thanks to the sculptural look of the thick branches and the trunk’s grooved bark. Despite its large acorns, which are likely to be a nuisance in streets, its acorns are not juicy, and its sculptural appearance has significant ornamental value. The main boulevard at the Weizmann Institute is an optimal example of using this impressive tree in public ornamental landscaping.

The other Israeli oaks are also suitable for planting in public landscaping, such as Q. calliprinos, which is evergreen and is an exceptionally impressive tree when mature. Q. infectoria, the strongest and largest of the Israeli oaks, would also beautify boulevards and streets. Q. cerris is very common in European cities as a street tree, but it is not popular as such in Israel, which is an absolute shame. We especially recommend it in mountainous areas due to the fact that it tends to suffer from powdery mildew as a result of high salinity.

Q. look would also be very suitable for planting as a street tree. It grows straight and reaches a height of at least 15 m. Its trunk is interestingly grooved. The leaves bloom slightly reddish. The leaves are relatively small and serrated and create an interesting appearance in dark green. The leaves turn an impressive yellow in fall; Q. look is a relatively new cultivar that has only been properly investigated since 1967. We expect it to be planted in much greater numbers in the coming years. We invite you to see a beautiful adult specimen growing in the nursery’s demo garden.

Q. virginiana is another example. This is an evergreen species that is rich in greenery all year round. It is very resistant to diseases and pests. Even though it’s not a local cultivar, but rather one that originates from the American South, it is very reminiscent of an Israeli grove tree, resembling an olive tree even, and thus it integrates very well into the Israeli landscape. Its acorns do not develop in Israel so they pose less of a nuisance in public spaces. The tree is especially suitable along roadways because of the abundant shade it provides, its durability, its relatively fast rate of growth and its lifespan. To surmount the challenge of superficially growing roots, we recommend planting in ditches or trenches.

An oak that we predict will become a leading street tree is a hybrid we have developed in the nursery and that we are particularly proud of: the ‘Goliath,’ a hybrid of Q. ithaburensis and Q. suber. If earlier we crowned Q. ithaburensis as king of the oaks, then the ‘Goliath’ could easily be anointed the crown prince. We selected the ‘Goliath’ out of seven hybrid cultivars we created because it has the leading and superior qualities of both cultivars. Its trunk is very grooved, bringing to mind the beautiful trunk of Q. suber. The tree’s leaves are a glossy green whose shape resembles that of Q. suber’s leaves, except much larger, which is closer to the leaves of Q. ithaburensis. The oak is semi-deciduous, and its leaves turn golden in fall and make the tree eye-catching. The ‘Goliath’ has a dense, columnar structure; when mature, it will be large and impressive. Because it is a hybrid, we believe that it will bear acorns in adulthood. Like all Quercus trees, it is long-lived and is a long-term investment. Its slender structure and beautiful and impressive features that are preserved in grafts make this a leading street tree that we anticipate seeing beautifying Israeli roadways for many years.