Oak tree - lots of acorns - is it normal?? (Houston: 2015, HOA)

[Houstoncat]

Hi All,

Recently the oak tree in front of our house starts to produce lots of acorns (see the attached photo). However, I noticed that most trees in our area don't have acorns on them... Why is that?

Since the tree is right next to the street and could potentially create a lot of mess when the tree get bigger (and loaded with tons of acorns..), we wonder if anyone has same problem with their own oak tree and would we get into trouble with HOA because of the acorns falling from the oak tree to the street.

Thank in advance for any advice!

Houstoncat

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by Houstoncat

Hi All,

Recently the oak tree in front of our house starts to produce lots of acorns (see the attached photo). However, I noticed that most trees in our area don't have acorns on them... Why is that?

Since the tree is right next to the street and could potentially create a lot of mess when the tree get bigger (and loaded with tons of acorns..), we wonder if anyone has same problem with their own oak tree and would we get into trouble with HOA because of the acorns falling from the oak tree to the street.

Thank in advance for any advice!

Houstoncat

Maybe this article will help shed some light on your question.


[SIZE=2]So why are oaks producing such an exceptional crop of acorns this year? Nut trees typically produce in an "on year – off year" pattern (also known as alternate year bear-ing). Pecan growers, includ-ing home growers with one or several pecan trees in the landscape, are well aware of this and use fertilizer and am-

ple irrigation during dry spells to minimize the swings in yield. Oak trees across Texas are producing huge crops of acorns. Oak trees tend to pro-duce one bumper crop every two to seven years. The more common explanation for this year’s heavy crop is the stress brought on by last year’s drought conditions and other environmental conditions.

http://galveston.agrilife.org/files/....-Johnson1.pdf
[/SIZE]

[Meyerland]

It's a mast year for the tree. It's when a larger than normal crop of acorns is produced and cast. It's between 3-7 years usually. I find mostly is 5-7 years in the Houston area.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mast_year#Mast_seeding

[77030]

My live oak is producing them like crazy.

[astrohip]

First, all oaks are different. Some produce early, some late, some hardly at all. And every year is different, based on weather, rain, yada yada.

Having said that, there is the phenomenon called "Mast Year", when the oaks produce & drop acorns like crazy. Like you've never seen! It's like they all belong to the same union, and decided to go on strike simultaneously. Our last mast year was 2012 (I think), and it was the heaviest I've ever seen in my life. I recall reading that the drought of 2011 put many of them in shock, and when we got all that rain in 2012, their instincts took over and said "Let's make babies while we're still alive!".

I haven't heard if 2015 is a mast year or not. A few oaks are dropping, but nothing crazy yet. But I think it's too early to tell. And I'm surrounded by oaks, so I can tell.

[Meyerland]

Yep, 2012 was absolutely nuts with the acorns dropping. Every single time I went out driving an acorn fell on my car while driving. They were everywhere!

A single tree that's stressed can produce its own "mast" year that is unrelated to the other trees though.