Waxy foliage of Compton oak.
40 CityTREES
Q&A with Dave Muffly
Transplanting or pruning considerations for Compton
oak? It's easier to transplant than many other
oaks, if best practices are followed. If it has good
growth form, it should need minimal pruning.
What is one disease challenge Compton oak
handles well in your ecoregion? In coastal California,
where the humidity is enhanced by proximity to
the ocean, oaks can get terrible powdery mildew.
Compton oak has waxy foliage, which tends to
be more resistant to powdery mildew, so it's
been standing up well to this fungal disease.
In addition to waxy foliage, what is a notable orna-
mental trait of Compton oak? Where overcup
oak will shed its leaves in October, the good
upright forms of Compton oak continue to hold
leaves into November and even December, while
turning red, yellow, orange, and purple.
