Quercus petraea Włodzimierz Seneta - Sessile Oak

Quercus petraea Włodzimierz Seneta is a recent Polish variety of English oak (or sessile oak). Resembling the typical species in its morphology, its development is more modest and its growth slower. It is therefore better suited for planting in gardens. This tree, reaching a height of about twelve to fifteen metres at maturity, is extremely ornamental due to its foliage. In spring, the young leaves have a delicate pinkish hue, then as they grow, they take on their characteristic lobed shape. Their colour is much more original, with various shades of green, mixed with white and yellow. Growing in neutral to slightly acidic soil, preferably in the sun, this tree is particularly hardy.

The sessile oak, also known as the English oak, durmast oak, rock oak, male oak, or black oak depending on the region, belongs to the Fagaceae family, like the chestnut and the beech. It is native to a large part of temperate Europe. It thrives in sub-oceanic to oceanic or continental climates, without excesses and not too dry. It grows spontaneously in hills and low mountains, where it can be found up to 1600 metres above sea level.
Włodzimierz Seneta is a Polish selection, discovered by Bronisław Jan Szmit and Wiesław Gawryś in 2005. They named it in honour of a renowned compatriot dendrologist. The commercialisation of this variety began in 2011 and in 2012, it received an award at the "Green is Life" Polish trade fair for new products. The growth of this oak is even slower than that of the typical species. Over time, it will reach a height of about 12 to 15 metres, with a spread of about 10 metres. The fairly short trunk is covered with initially green and smooth bark, which then becomes dark, thick, and slightly fissured. The crown is irregular in shape, oval, rounded, and open. Its young branches are smooth, grey-brown, and shiny. The foliage is remarkable and presents variable shades during the growing season. When they first appear in spring, the young leaves have a pinkish colour that they quickly lose as they unfold, taking on a green colour, more or less variegated with white and yellow. These irregular variegations, varying from one leaf to another, evolve during the season. The lobed leaves have the characteristic shape of the species and can sometimes be larger, up to 20 cm long. The leaves turn brown quite late in autumn and remain attached to the branches before falling. This oak flowers in April-May, shortly after the appearance of the foliage, on the annual shoots. The female flowers are located in a cup directly attached to the branch: this distinctive characteristic is the origin of the species name, sessile. The male inflorescences are elongated, pendulous catkins, tinged with yellow. They are produced at the base of the annual shoots. The female flowers, in the axils of the leaves, give way to ovoid and elongated, 1.5 to 3 cm long acorns. They are often grouped in pairs or threes, directly on the branches. A cup covered with scales covers one-third of the acorn. The colour changes from green to brown when ripe, in September and October.
The root system of this tree is deep and powerful, with both a taproot and a spreading root system, ensuring a solid and durable anchorage in deep and sandy soils. It prefers slightly acidic to neutral soils, sufficiently deep and fertile, with some moisture, but above all well-drained. Growing in the sun, it tolerates partial shade and is very hardy, down to at least -25°C.

This original variety brings a touch of elegance to the genus, and its smaller dimensions, compared to the botanical species, make it easier to plant in a garden. It will be magnificent as a solitary tree on a lawn and can also be a choice subject in the heart of a mixed bed. You can associate it with other plants with decorative foliage, such as Fagus sylvatica Midnight Feather, a small beech with very architectural, fine, and deeply cut leaves, of an intense purple that will strongly contrast with the white variegations of your oak. For abundant flowering, choose Rhododendron ponticum, a large shrub that will reward you with clusters of pinkish-purple flowers in May-June, while its dark green foliage will stand out well from that of Włodzimierz Seneta. And to add an unusual touch, plant Parrotia persica Persian Spire, a shrub whose foliage is purple when it bursts, turning to a surprisingly violet-margined green in summer, before a fiery autumn display of yellow, orange, and red. Not to mention its early flowering in the form of red stamens that appear directly on the bare wood.