The highlights of the trip to Tregrehan to study Fagacaea (oaks, lithocarpus, castanopsis and fagus) with Tom and Thomas Methuen-Campbell from Penrice Castle who are both far more expert on oaks than I am.
Lithocarpus cleistocarpus but ours has small acorns so is it really a quercus. Differs from ours at Caerhays because of its more pointed leaves with less silvery undersides. I will send Tom some pictures and samples to compare.
Itea yunnanensis in full flower with incredibly long flower tassels against a wall. Far better than Itea ilicifolia when you see it like this.
Quercus affinis from Mexico with acorns forming.
Calycanthus chinensis (formerly Sinocalycanthus chinensis) with its last pink tinged flowers and huge leaves. The buds are rather odd too.
Lithocarpus variolosus with smaller leaves than ours. Male and female flowers and some seed clusters just starting to set.
Quercus guyavifolia from Yunnan. Asia has some cuttings. Wonderful white indumentum under the leaves.
Pterostyrax psilophyllus (lavellei) setting seed. Three lobes at the end of each leaf.
Quercus pannosa which is another dense evergreen from Yunnan.
Quercus rehderiana with spines on its leaves. Chinese too. Cuttings taken for Asia.
Castanopsis wattii was a new species to me. Looked a bit like Quercus lamellosa.
Quercus gilva is one which we do grow.
Quercus leucotricarpa is another which we grow with its extraordinary fissuring bark.
Quercus tungmaiensis – odd serrated leaves.
Quercus candicans which is probably too tender to grow well outside Cornwall. We have lost this.
Quercus tatakaensis from Taiwan.
Lithocarpus kawakamii which may be the species with the largest leaves.
Quercus longinux also from Taiwan.
Castanopsis delavayi. One could be forgiven for not identifying this as a castanopsis.
Sassafras randiensis is the third (Taiwanese) species of sassafras. This one new to me. Exceptional bark formations and larger leaves than either of the other two species.
Castanea mollissima in full flower. Very different from our ordinary sweet chestnuts. The first time I have ever seen this flowering although the nursery stocks it.
Fraxinus floribunda with huge leaves. Himalayan.
Quercus lineata from Burma untouched by the ‘Beast’.
Quercus utilis from Vietnam. A really good tree.
Quercus semiserrata.
Lithocarpus henryi – Tom’s own collection from China.
A new species of stewartia – Stewartia villosa. No flowers as yet but similar hairs on the new growth to Stewartia pteropetiolata. Slightly sticky leaves too.
Phoebe species (unknown) in flower.
Styrax tonkinensis still in flower very high up. A new one to me. Beautiful bark and 40-50ft tall.
Quercus dolicholepis.
Lithocarpus brevicaudatus.
Quercus fulva from Mexico in a hot dry spot.
