Hairmetal and anyone else reading this. I wonder if the pollen can stay in storage for the couple weeks or however the time amount in between is? All oaks bloom in spring right? As far as Oikos they are in Michigan, so southern oaks are likely not messed with, for lack of a better wording. Mossy oaks emailed me about my order, they can't gaurantee me a Comptons oak (or 4) being that they are in demand, and the seed hunting/starting is still not done, but they told me that many of their lives and Compton's "gave them problems". So of course I emailed back enquiring if they lost any to the cold winter, last winter. I begged for them to take the time to answer. Maybe the little lower trunk sprouts will do okay in the future after all. I am still planting hardier whips near them. Maybe my Compton's were okay and their's weren't because mine have some size to them. Sorry, I wish Dax was around Live oaks, he likes to try things with trees. I bet if he could get live oak pollen he would try some hybridizing. Hair, the Asian oaks that are evergreen, are they like out Live oaks in shape? I want an oak that takes after the Live oak almost exactly in shape and size, proportion. Maybe if I saw the Compton's up close in person, I would shut up and be happy. If I could talk with the guy at Mossy oaks that knows about the breeding, and will listen to my incestant questions, and take the time to listen, and answer me. Well, I'll try and post that question about Alba X Virginiana to them now.

According to the link Live Oak hybridizes with: Q. bicolor Q. durandii Q. lyrata Q. macrocarpa Q. minima Q. stellata If you don't see what you want you could always try spreading around a little pollen yourself next Spring. Here is a link that might be useful: Live Oak Fact Sheet

As far as I recall the Q ---Queller. I believe father-in-law? Someone will know for sure.

I'd go with Macrocarpa. It likes alkaline soil, is recommended for your area, and as a White Oak Group oak is resistant to Oak Wilt. Probably the slowest growing and worst fall color, though. Be sure to mention alkaline soil in your posts...that is the big fly in the ointment. Actually, you should test the PH of your soil. Northern Red Oak grows fastest, may have decent Fall color, and takes best to being transplanted, but might have trouble with chlorosis. If I could find it I'd go with seed grown. Grafting just creates more opportunities for the nursery to botch things. They could pick an unsuitable tree for the root stock, often the rootstock is root bound, there is confusion as to whether to bury the graft. I'd only buy grafted if it was a special cultivar or something. Personally, I kind of like potted trees. They give me more planting time flexibility. I can buy them when I see a sale and plant them when I have a weekend free. I buy small trees, though. And many disagree with me. It's partly a matter of how much you trust the nursery...potted trees create more opportunities for the nursery to botch things. They can become pot bound. Lots of Q Rubra near me are only just starting to leaf out, with tiny leaves the size of dimes. A few haven't leafed out at all. We had an unusually cool Spring, though.