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Foliage of Regal Prince oak ● Photo by itrees.com

Regal Prince is the trademark name for Quercus x warei ‘Long’, a narrow, upright hybrid of fastigiate English oak (Quercus robur f. fastigiata) and swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor). Its leaves are clearly intermediate in shape and are glossy and leathery like those of swamp white oak. In Ithaca, Nina Bassuk and Andy Hillman first planted Regal Prince in 2005, and the oaks have performed well there ever since.

Quercus bicolor x robur 'Regal Prince'

Regal Prince oaks alongside the main thoroughfare in Ithaca, New York. Photo by Nina Bassuk

“It’s a good tree for tight spaces—not a shade tree as such,” says Cornell Urban Horticulture Institute Director Bassuk. “It has the shape of the fastigiate English oak but is more tolerant of poor drainage and is mildew resistant, unlike Q. robur. It also tolerates a higher pH than does straight Q. bicolor. During last summer’s drought its foliage stayed green throughout so it appears both wet and dry tolerant (after establishment of course).”

Regal Prince moving towards maturity. Photo courtesy Missouri Botanical Garden

Regal Prince moving towards maturity. Photo courtesy Missouri Botanical Garden

As oaks go, Regal Prince grows fast and can reach 50 feet tall by 20 feet wide. It is hardy to USDA Zone 4 and is wind and ice resistant. Use as a specimen or in small groups as a screen.

Michelle Sutton