Sawtooth Oak Seedlings — 12’–18′ – Farm Pickup Only

What is a sawtooth oak seedling?

Sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima) is one of the fastest-growing hard mast trees you can plant for wildlife. It’s a longtime favorite on hunting properties because of its speed and reliability, producing acorns far sooner than native oaks — often in 5 to 8 years, compared to the 20 to 40 years many native oaks take to bear their first crop.

This listing is our 12’–18′ size class, well past the small-whip stage. Because sawtooth oak commonly grows 2 to 4 feet a year, a tree this size is often already at or near bearing age, so you could see your first acorns much sooner than if you started smaller. We grow a limited number each season, and this tree is available for farm pickup only.

Why growers choose this 12’–18′ sawtooth oak

• Available for farm pickup only at EBB Farms in Western Kentucky. We grow a limited quantity each season, so call 678.234.4894 to check current availability before you plan your trip.

• Every order includes a free Tree Planting Guide download from the United Chestnuts Academy.

• Skips years of establishment — this size gives you a real head start toward mast production instead of waiting out a small whip’s early growing years.

• Because sawtooth oak grows 2 to 4 feet a year, a 12’–18′ tree is often already at or near the age when it begins bearing acorns.

• Produces a heavy, dependable mast crop almost every year once mature.

• Drops acorns early, typically starting in late August or September, well ahead of most native oaks. That helps bridge the summer-to-fall nutrition gap for deer.

• Tough and adaptable, with good resistance to disease and insect damage across a wide range of soils.

• Pick up in person and hand-select your tree, with no shipping stress on the root system.

Seedling grade and size

We grow each sawtooth oak seedling in fabric grow bags at EBB Farms. Every tree in this listing stands 12 to 18 feet tall. When a root reaches the breathable bag wall, it air-prunes. This natural process stops the root tip and signals the plant to send out new lateral roots behind it.

Instead of one root circling endlessly, like it would in a solid plastic pot, you get dozens of fine, branching feeder roots throughout the container. As a result, the tree transitions smoothly from nursery to field and establishes quickly, even at this larger size.

Planting ideas for your property

• Line food-plot edges, travel corridors, and staging areas so deer and turkey have a reason to linger right away.

• Set up an orchard-style “food lot” planting, spaced 15 to 20 feet apart for maximum acorn production.

• Pair sawtooth oak with later-dropping native oaks, persimmon, or chestnut to stretch your property’s mast season from late summer into winter.

• Plant near pine cover, but keep at least 40 feet of separation so pines don’t shade out the young oaks.

Basic planting and care

• Choose a site with at least 75% full sun; sawtooth oak struggles and grows very slowly in shade.

• Plant in well-drained soil. This tree does poorly in deep sand or ground that holds standing water, and it will not tolerate a full day submerged in summer.

• Bring a truck bed or trailer sized for a 12’–18′ tree, and expect a larger planting hole than a small whip needs.

• Control grass and weed competition around the tree for the first 2 to 3 years, because even an established tree needs some help while it settles in.

• Protect the tree with a tube or cage where deer pressure is heavy. Browsing and antler rubbing are the most common causes of damage at this size.

• Plant more than one tree in an area. Sawtooth oak relies on wind for pollination, so a small grove sets a heavier, more reliable acorn crop than an isolated single tree.

• Because sawtooth oak is non-native and its acorns get carried off-site by squirrels and jays, we recommend siting new plantings inside managed food plots rather than along untended forest edges.

Backed by the EBB Farms learning hub

EBB Farms is the farm lab for United Chestnuts, the learning and development hub for the chestnut community. So even on a non-chestnut listing like this one, your order connects you to the same grower support and know-how behind everything we raise.

You can dig into practical field guides and planting resources at unitedchestnuts.com/ebb-farms. For real grower stories and on-the-ground strategies, follow the Branching Out: Growing Together podcast as well.

Best-fit for

• Hunters and land managers who want a food-plot oak at or near bearing age, not a small starter whip

• Local pickup customers within driving distance of EBB Farms in Western Kentucky

• Growers who want a fast, reliable hard-mast tree instead of waiting decades on native oaks

• Diversified wildlife plantings alongside chestnut, persimmon, or native oak species

Key details

• Type: Sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima) seedling

• Size at pickup: 12’–18′ tall

• Mature size: 40–70 feet tall, 30–50 foot spread

• Typical bearing age: 5–8 years from planting; a tree this size is often already at or near that age

• Recommended spacing: 15–20 feet apart for orchard-style mast plantings

• Format: Grown in fabric grow bags at EBB Farms; air-pruned root system, not shipped

• Availability: Limited quantity each season. Call 678.234.4894 to check current stock.

• Uses: Wildlife food plots, hunting-property plantings, diversified mast orchards

Shipping and handling

This size ships heavy, so this tree is available for farm pickup at EBB Farms only. Email [email protected] or call 678.234.4894 to check availability and schedule your pickup.

What’s included

• One sawtooth oak seedling, 12’–18′ tall, ready for pickup

• A free Tree Planting Guide download from the United Chestnuts Academy

• Straightforward planting guidance included with every order

• Access to United Chestnuts grower resources and community support