Oak (Quercus)

Buying Oak Trees Online:

Pre-Order Bareroot Oak Trees For 2025/26 Winter Planting Season

Oaks (Quercus species), are large, spreading trees with sturdy branches and distinctive, lobed leaves.Except for Holm Oak (Quercus ilex), they are not suitable for use in a clipped hedge.

Oaks grow to 20-30 metres tall.

What size Oak trees should I buy?

• If you are not in a hurry to get a full sized Oak tree, we recommend starting with the smaller 6/8cm girth size.
• If you are in a hurry and need instant impact, then go for the 8/10cm girth size.

Standard trees are measured by their girth 1 metre above the ground, and young saplings are measured by height.So, a 6/8cm Standard Oak tree is much bigger than an 60/80cm sapling Oak tree. If a tree is available in both sizes, it will be noted in the product description.

Have a look at the rest of our range of ornamental trees.

• Order now, pay later: we don't charge your card until before delivery
• When your order is ready: your mail order trees are delivered by next working day courier (not the next working day after ordering!)
• Friendly support: if there is anything wrong with your plants when you inspect them, Contact Us within 5 working days

All bareroot plants are covered by our Refund Guarantee, so you can give them a whirl with complete confidence.

Oak trees are a timeless addition to larger gardens and farmland. They thrive best in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil and full sun, but young trees will tolerate shade until they grow up into the sunlight.

Oaks grow to 20-30 metres tall.

The oldest known oak in the UK is estimated to be over 1,000 years old. Lifespan depends on species, soil conditions, and access to sun.An oak over 400 years is classed as ancient.

Which Oak Tree Should I Choose?

• The native oaks are Common Oak (Quercus robur) and Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea).
• The best oak for wet soil is Pin Oak (Quercus palustris). It is also good for inner city planting because its roots are adapted to low-oxygen environments, which are found underneath urban concrete and tarmac.
• The most ornamental Oak is probably Red Oak (Quercus rubra), with its fiery autumn colour.
• Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) is evergreen and will grow right next to the sea. This is the only type of oak that clips nicely into a hedge. It is also the best oak for a year-round windbreak.
• Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris) is the most vigorous oak that we grow.

Where can I grow Oak Trees?

Oak trees are extremely hardy and tolerate pretty much any soil conditions with decent drainage, although only Common Oak and Sessile Oak will do well on chalk.Common Oak is better on heavier, damper soils, and Sessile Oak is better in rocky, drier soils.

Oaks are shade-tolerant when young, patiently growing up into the sunlight as they mature.

When and How do I plant an oak tree?

You can plant Pot Grown Oak trees at any time of year, and Bareroot trees during winter, except when the soil is frozen. 

The best time to plant Oak trees is from late Autumn to early Spring (November to March), using bareroot stock, which is cheaper, easier to carry and plant, and tends to establish even better than their pot grown equivalents. 

Watch our Tree Planting Video for instructions.Although optional, we strongly recommend using Rootgrow.

Aftercare:

Remember: the two biggest killers of recently transplanted trees are underwatering, and being choked by weeds and grass.

1. Regular, thorough watering is vital during dry weather in their first spring and summer, and highly recommended the following summer, especially if there is a heat wave.
2. Either remove weeds and grass by hand periodically, or use some form of mulch to suppress them.

Tree Planting Accessories

Standards that are 6/8cm in girth and upwards are quite big trees, so they need a tree planting stake and a tree tie (with a buffer between the tree and the stake) during their first couple of years. 

A mulch mat is will suppress weeds & grass, and preserve moisture: remember that dry soil and competition with weeds are the two biggest killers of new trees.Even with a mat, you should remove anything that manages to grow up between the mat and the trunk in late spring and summer.

You can buy those items separately, or save money with our Tree Planting Pack.

You definitely need a tree guard if there are deer or rabbits about. In urban areas with no wild animals, tree guards are great for protecting against mowers and strimmers.For that purpose, you can cut one tree guard into several pieces about 20-25cm long, to act as skirting around the base of the tree.

Mycorrhizal Fungi

We cannot recommend using Rootgrow fungi enough: it makes a huge difference, especially with larger trees, which are scrambling to regrow the root systems that they lost when we dug them up, in order to support their now top-heavy growth above ground. 

Mycorrhizal fungi assist the roots in accessing soil nutrients and water, and protect the roots from soil critters.In return, the tree shares sugar with them, and the result can be over 50% more growth above ground!

What tree has acorns?

All oak trees make acorns, the fruit with one seed inside a distinctively shaped outer nut.

We don't think of acorns as food anymore, but the name tells us that's what they were.Today, corn means maize from America, but corn in Old English meant the group "grains with the seed still in".

How long does an oak tree take to grow?

It can take 20-50 years for an oak to reach full height, growing up to 30 metres. Expect your oak tree to grow about 30-90 centimetres a year though its growth rate depends on the type of oak and the conditions it’s grown in. Acorn production usually begins when the oak is around 40 years old.

When should you prune an oak tree?

Oak trees are pretty low-maintenance when it comes to pruning, and it may not be necessary to prune every year. Late winter to early spring is the best time to attempt lightly pruning your oak. Simply remove any diseased and damaged shoots or shoots growing in unwanted directions.