6

My wife had a poinsettia on our balcony that died in a surprise frost while we were away. The empty pot stayed on our balcony for a while, and new sprouts gave her hope that it had managed to survive in the roots.

But it soon developed leaves that were clearly not poinsettia. I took one look at them and thought they looked quite like traditional oak leaves, though I don’t see how that could have happened. Friends all concurred that they look like oak leaves.

At this point, they look a little more pointy than the traditional knobby look, but still, pretty oak-like:

Leaves that looks like oak

So, is this an oak tree? Any idea how it got there?

This is in Arlington, Virginia.

1 Answer 1

9

It looks like an oak to me as well. It's been a long time since I've done oak identification, so I'm not going to venture a guess as to species. I will tell you that I find oaks growing in our garden frequently, and we don't have any oaks within 100 feet. My guess would be a squirrel or bird stashed the acorn in your pot for later eating.

4
  • That would be a rather enterprising squirrel, but that does seem like a plausible explanation.
    – KRyan
    Sep 2, 2017 at 23:40
  • 2
    I've seen them climb up 2.5 stores up the corner of a house just for the fun of it.
    – Ben
    Sep 2, 2017 at 23:41
  • I've known of them as pests getting into a loft. They definitely put acorns (and walnuts) in pots. So do the jays we get here in the UK -- I don't know if yours do, or even if they eat acorns.
    – Chris H
    Sep 4, 2017 at 8:30
  • Definitely an oak tree, my best guess with the picture is a red oak/Quercus rubra. Unbeknownst to many, blue jays spread acorns far and wide so it is most likely a jay that planted that for you. =]
    – Tyler K.
    Sep 4, 2017 at 18:29

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.