The Knepp Wilding Podcast Talking Trees
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Feb 3, 2026 
Harriet Rix, tree scientist and author of The Genius of Trees, has hunted rare trees worldwide and studied tree disease and ecology. She explores trees' deep history and surprising origins, oak hybridization and genetic dynamism. She describes jays burying acorns, mycorrhizal friendships, and how natural regeneration builds resilience to disease and climate change.
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Oaks' Deep And Mixed Origins
- Oaks evolved from earlier forms that once grew under conifer canopies and later expanded after mass extinction events.
- The English oak (Quercus robur) has genetic roots traced to American white oaks and a Pontic oak ancestor.
Trees Are More Mobile Genetically Than They Appear
- Trees are dynamic genetic systems that exchange pollen across vast distances and hybridise readily.
- Oak populations keep chromosome numbers constant, enabling frequent hybridisation and rapid adaptation.
Acorns Carry Rapid Adaptive Potential
- Each acorn carries huge genetic diversity and oak seedlings also make epigenetic shifts as they germinate.
- This combination lets oaks 'evolve slowly but adapt fast' to local conditions and climate change.
