Quercus × crenata explained

Quercus × crenata is a tree in the family Fagaceae. It is treated as a hybrid between the European trees Turkey oak (Quercus cerris) and cork oak (Quercus suber)^[1] but may also represent a distinct species.^[2] In the past, it has often been called Quercus × hispanica, a name that properly refers to presumed hybrids between Portuguese oak (Quercus faginea) and Quercus suber.^[3]

Distribution

Hybridisation occurs naturally in southwestern Europe where both parent species occur. The Lucombe oak cultivar (Q. × crenata 'Lucombeana') is frequently found in British collections. To be a true Lucombe oak, cultivars must be clones of the original hybrid arising in William Lucombe's Exeter nursery.^[4] "Lucombeana' has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.^[5]

Cultivation

A number of named cultivars are grown in gardens, parks, arboreta and botanical gardens.

Cultivars

• Quercus × crenata 'Lucombeana' ("Lucombe oak"), originally raised by William Lucombe at his Exeter, UK nursery in 1762. An early Lucombe Oak is in Kew Gardens arboretum, and is regarded as one of their 'heritage trees'.^[6] The Tree Register of the British Isles−TROBI Champion is at Phear Park in Exmouth, measuring 26m (85feet) in height, with a trunk diameter of 261cm (103inches) in 2008.
• Quercus × crenata 'Waasland' ("Waasland select oak"), leaves display an unusual slender, lobed shape.^[7]
• Quercus × crenata 'Wageningen' ("Wageningen oak")^[8]
• Quercus × crenata 'Fulhamensis' ("Fulham oak")

Notes and References

1. Conte . L. . Cotti . C. . Cristofolini . G. . 2007 . Molecular evidence for hybrid origin of Quercus crenata Lam. (Fagaceae) from Q. cerris L. and Q. suber L. . Plant Biosystems . 141 . 2 . 181–193 . 10.1080/11263500701401463. 2007PBios.141..181C . 83882998 .
2. Simeone . Marco Cosimo . Cardoni . Simone . Piredda . Roberta . Imperatori . Francesca . Avishai . Michael . Grimm . Guido W. . Denk . Thomas . 2018 . Comparative systematics and phylogeography of Quercus Section Cerris in western Eurasia: inferences from plastid and nuclear DNA variation . PeerJ . 6 . e5793 . 10.7717/peerj.5793 . 2167-8359 . 6195796 . 30356975 . free .
3. Vázquez Pardo. F.M.. Coombes. A.J.. García Alonso. D.. Márquez García. F.. Rodrigues Meireles. C.. Guerra Barrena. M.J.. Vila-Viçosa. C.. 2018. Anotaciones a la nomenclatura del género Quercus L., (FAGACEAE) en la Península Ibérica y NW de África. Fol. Bot. Extremadurensis. 12. 5–79.
4. Web site: 'Lucombeana' Lucombe Oak. treesandshrubsonline.org. 28 August 2018.
5. Web site: Quercus × crenata 'Lucombeana' . RHS . 17 February 2021.
6. Web site: About Kew's Arboretum. kew.org. 28 August 2018.
7. Web site: Quercus x crenata 'Waasland'. ornamental-trees.co.uk. 28 August 2018.
8. Web site: Quercus x crenata 'Wageningen'. majestictrees.co.uk. 28 August 2018.