Telling red oak seedling from pin oak?

[whitenack]

Any way to tell a red oak from a pin oak during the seedling stage? I got a little buddy sprouting in my yard, and if it is a red I'd like to transplant it.

Any way to tell, or do I just need to wait? The leaves are too small to tell the difference, and there are both pins and reds in my area.

 

[jrizman]

the pin oaks should have fewer lobes and deeper sinuses than the red (im assuming you are refering to N. red oak). no matter what the size of the leaves, it will have the form consistent with the species.

This website should help to id properly.

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/main.htm

 

[whitenack]

I can tell the difference between a full sized red oak and a full size pin.

These little guys have just started putting out leaves, so they are too small for me to ID (maybe an inch long).

 

[jrizman]

got ya, give it a few weeks then. you may be able to see something by the bark, but i have not been very good at that at the seedling stage!

 

[whitenack]

Here's a pic. I assume it is too early to tell?

 

[jrizman]

no pic. i also tried the message link and it didnt work.

 

[whitenack]

crap.

I can see it. I guess I haven't figured out how to do that yet.

Try this.

 

[whitenack]

now can you see it?

 

[Newfie]

Those are red oak leaves from my vantage point.

 

[jrizman]

got it!
Id say its gonna be NRO (northern red oak).

let me know if im right! either way a nice looking seedling!

 

[whitenack]

I hope it lives.

I didn't do a good job transplanting it. I didn't have a shovel, so I used a hand trowel, thinking I could dig deep enough with it. Nope. I heard the root snap while I was digging out around it.

Also, I must have mowed over it once, or it got chewed on by some bunnies, because it is actually two stems coming off a stump.

I'll keep you updated.

 

[jrizman]

oaks are hardy!
you should see how they do where i plant em (on reclamed strip mines):rockn:

 

[whitenack]

oaks are hardy!

Yeah, I have had some success growing burs from acorns, but this will be my first seedling transplant.

Interested to see how it goes!

 

[Grenfell]

I've got a mature pin oak in my backyard and I also just planted a little red oak seedling. Leaves look identical to what you've posted. I'd vote red oak as well. Pin oak leaves are so deeply lobed, I'd expect to see some of that even in a young seedling.