155. OAG Oak
A striking tree with a prominent graft mark.
Leamington Spa’s fascinating hybrid Spanish oak stands on the pavement where a footpath leads to the side of the Old Art Gallery and Library building. It is an upright tree, and rather more evergreen than the more often encountered ‘Lucombe’ cultivar of the same species. It shows a distinct, swollen graft line about a metre from the base, with corky bark above the mark, and fissured bark below.
The graft mark on this tree suggests it is a different cultivar to the more frequent, and more well known ‘Lucombe’ cultivar which usually has no discernible graft mark. It does appear to have the same parentage as the ‘Lucombe’ however, a hybrid between cork oak (Quercus suber), and Turkey oak (Quercus cerris). But this hybridisation has happened many times, in fact it occurs naturally where the two species’ ranges overlap, so this is probably a different cultivar. ‘Crispa’ and ‘Fulhamensis’ are both recognised types, and are certainly candidates, but equally, it may be a cultivar imported or developed by a nursery that once operated in Warwickshire. Oh, and the bottom bit, or rootstock? I reckon that’s Turkey oak.
Species details
Spanish oak
Quercus × crenata
Where to find it
Old Art Gallery, Avenue Road, Leamington Spa CV31 3NN
///send.these.each | 52.285913, -1.536491
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Next Sunday – Also Festival
Staying in Warwickshire, next weekend it’s the brilliant Also Festival at the spectacular Compton Verney site. I’ll be there talking trees, so if you’re coming, drop by and say hi. You can join me on Sunday morning when I’ll be talking about Tree Hunting on the Woods Stage at 10:00. And if that’s not enough, I’ll be leading a walk around the Festival site at 1:00, looking at the amazing trees that define the stunning Capability Brown landscape, and I’ll be signing books at 2:00.
Tickets are still available for Also 2025, 11-13th June at Compton Verney, Warwickshire.