Show U. U Botanist Develops Oak Oali Tree For Utah A retired University of Utah i botanist may have found the answer an answer answer an- an anI I to Utah's oak shortage Professor ProCessor Emeritus Walter P P. P Cottam says Utah has few of the large oak trees which line many American streets although the smaller Gambel Oak commonly common common- I ly 1 called scrub oak grow plentifully along the foothills DR COTTAM and research graduate Rudy Drobnick have now developed a new hybrid oaktree oak oaktree oaktree tree hardy enough to survive In Utah yet growing fast-growing and sporting abundant foliage which turns to brilliant hues of color colorin in the fall To lITo my knowledge the professor professor professor pro pro- fessor said there are only nine species out of a possible which could grow In our state He explained that oak trees are extremely difficult to trans trans- plant IT TT IS QUITE likely that all old oak trees In our state were planted as acorns and not as whips young trees In recent years he continued various nurseries here have carried whip-stock whip of a few oak species but the mortality rate is high The Initial discovery of ot a hybrid oak suitable to Utah cli climate climate climate cli- cli mate and altitude came by accident accident acci acci- dent when Mr Drobnick hiking through the Oquirrh Mountains in late autumn of 1954 found an unusual clump of oak Research later proved the oak to be a I natural hybrid cross bt reen i iI I our common Gambel oak and the evergreen like holly-like live oak now native to the Pine Valley Mountains of ot Utah miles mUes to the south NOW AFTER 13 years of ot research with the natural hy hybrid hybrid hybrid hy- hy brid oaks Dr Cottam and Mr Drobnick have developed several sever sever- al hybrid oaks particularly re receptive receptive re- re ve to the Utah area These oaks Include the original hybrid found by Mr Drobnick and several several sev sev- eral other species primarily the English oak of Sherwood Forest fame the German oak of Europe and the Manchurian oak of Asia crossed with a burr oaktree oak oaktree oaktree tree especially well-growing well in this area living near the University University University Uni Uni- of ot Utah campus which is the official State Arboretum already benefit from the re research research research re- re search of Dr Cottam and Mr Drobnick Many of the hybrids have been planted on the Utah campus and In the adjoining Ft Douglas area A few h have ve been planted In city parks MORE OF THE hybrids will willbe willbe willbe be planted on public grounds within the next year or two Dr Cottam said Eventually the oak hybrids will be available to the local nurseries |