19
Nov

In our scrub oak tree facts we included the most commonly asked questions about gambel oak in Colorado.

How do you identify scrub oak?

Scrub oak has rounded leaves with deep lobes and no bristle tip. The lobes can start about halfway up from the base. The sinuses are small and shallow and the bud scales tend to overlap each other. The leaves will also have a slender steam. Scrub oaks grow an acorn and not a fringe on an acorn cap. They grow best with low moisture and full access to the sun.

How big will scrub oak grow?

The trees stay more like shrubs than trees. With the right type of environment and gambel oak landscaping, it’s possible for scrub oak to grow to 10-30 feet.

How fast does scrub oak grow?

Once cut down or damage by fire, it doesn’t take long for scrub oak to return. It has an extensive root system and all energy is placed in this system when young helps grow as thickets instead of trees. Trimming is a good idea to keep the scrub oak growth rate to a minimum.

Why is scrub oak important?

You don’t want to get rid of all scrub oak. It plays a part in the whole ecosystem, offering a food source and shelter to wildlife. It’s also good to reduce erosion.
After a fire, scrub oak sprouts quickly. This helps to return forests back to normal after a wildfire or other damage

How do you eradicate scrub oak?

You’ll need to remove the gambel oak root system as much as possible. If you can’t remove it, it’s possible to kill the top of the plant to prevent the root restoring the energy through photosynthesis so it is completely depleted but this is a long process.

How can you trim scrub oak?

Thin out the scrub oak by removing all the dead and diseased branches first. Then you can remove the branches that have become a nuisance and remove the lower suckers to reduce growth. Here is additional information about scrub oak trimming and pruning.

How do you control scrub oak?

Another important scrub oak tree fact is management. Most management is through chemical or mechanical methods.
Mechanical methods: Manually remove the branches with a chainsaw or loppers. Mastication with land clearing equipment is also beneficial.
Chemical methods: Herbicide is also commonly used method and is applied when scrub oak is freshly cut.

How to get rid of all scrub oak runners?

If you need to remove scrub oak suckers, you can do it manually with loppers for small areas or with a heavy-duty mower for the larger areas.

Is scrub oak killed through Roundup?

Roundup is a broad-spectrum herbicide that kill a wide range of plants, both perennial and annual. The herbicide is sprayed onto oak stumps after stem removal, usually within the first hour when the stump is still wet for best results. The herbicide goes into the root system, preventing scrub oak from re-sprouting in the future.

If you have additional questions about scrub oak management that were not covered in our our scrub oak tree facts blog, please contact us at (719)468-9104. We specialize in scrub oak removal, pruning for fire mitigation.