the issues.. important from what you tell us ...

is how well you can water to get them established ... which might take a year or three ...

and then how much sun is actually under your oaks .. plants can live in low light ... but they 'thrive' in proper light ... and how that all works under your large established trees ...

whatever way you look at it.... this is more of a patience thing.. rather than instant gratification .. imho

where are you getting the plants ...???? ....try googling musser forests .... i think they have a lot of the stuff you are talking about... in the size and price you are suggesting ....

https://www.musserforests.com/

there is no reason there need be a high mortality rate ... if you buy good healthy stock ... plant properly ... and water properly ... based on your soil .... and given the sunlight ...

ken

I have grown lindera benzoin, clethra alnifolia, several different deciduous rhododendrons plus 3 evergreen rhodies, and ilex verticillata among others from liners (rooted cuttings). The ones either planted in garden spaces or that I grew on in pots for a season and then fall planted did much better than those I planted directly. If I were to do this again, I would definitely plant in pots for the first summer before planting in a non-garden spot in early fall. Particularly when grown on a slope which tends to have less even moisture courtesy of gravity, having time to grow decent sized root balls before planting in less than ideal sites will help survival rates as akamg mentioned. Once you plant them, mulch well and pay close attention to water needs (test soil moisture levels regularly and water as required) right up until the ground freezes. I would also spend some time looking at the needs of your choice of plants and the moisture levels of the site. IME Ilex verticilata and Clethra alnifolia do better as far as growth rate and blooming when they are in sun and good moisture vs. in shade and drier conditions, and a bit of reading tells me that pinxter bloom azaleas are also lovers of moisture.

IME most of the plants I grew from liners grew fairly slowly for the first two seasons in the ground and then started almost doubling annually after that for several years if they were in spots with reasonable soil, even moisture and good sun for their needs. As I recall, all the ones you listed that I have grown grew at about the same rate as long as I grew them in good situations for their needs. A few I put into more shade than ideal, and so those grew slower than others. The azaleas that I planted on a steep slope have done well, but are well mulched and have shade during the hottest part of the day while still getting good light for blooming needs.

Thanks all for the advice.

akamainegrower, you make a good point about the soil conditions and growth rates. I was just surprised by the range when looking at even a specific variety. Does it sound jaded to say that it seems like sellers of goods tend to say things are fast growing when arboretums and botanical gardens might say they are moderate or even slow growers?

Ken, thanks for the link! I'll definitely check them out. The site is a fairly narrow (20 foot wide) strip of oaks running down the hillside from north to south with good sized clearings on either side so there is reasonable morning and a little afternoon sun. Rhododendrons do well in similar conditions elsewhere on the property but I wanted to diversify a little. I actually like the "looser" habit shrubs like azaleas take on in shade.

NHBabs, I will make sure to mulch, probably with shredded oak leaves since we have a lot of those available. The soil is reasonable and tends toward acidic. Part of the reason for this project is that a neighbor has directed some patio and yard drainage toward this area. I figured I might as well try to take advantage of the water, but winterberry and clethra might be optimistic!

If the RC's (rooted cutting) arrive to you healthy you and you plant them dormant at the right time for your area, I think you will be surprised at how much growth you may get the first season on some. Although I cannot speak to all plants on your list, I wouldn't expect significant losses if healthy and planted at the right time and no extreme me weather.

As of for the growth rate, we will grow our RC's on for 1-3 years to achieve the desired size for sales depending on the plant.

define rooted cuttings ...

if they are rooting right now ... what we might call.. fresh cuttings ....and going to be shipped in a few months.. they will be very cheap... i would not expect much growth this season ... all the work will be going on underground.. the roots ...

if you pay a bit more.. and buy one year old plants .... you will pay a bit more ..... then perhaps you will get more than just root growth this season ...

if you buy second season plants.. well .. the sky is the limit.... but they cost more ...

i used to say.. i have more time than money ... so i would go cheap and small ... and not care how long they took to get moving ...

and.. as noted ... timing of planting.. actual planting.. and aftercare ... are all extremely important in the speed equation ...

do not fert the year of planting... they will not be hungry... they will be stressed ...

see link, though for small plants.. it could vary greatly.. lets discuss that.. after you decide on size ...

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub