“Habitat in Virginia.”
— Linnaeus, “Species Plantarum”, volume 2, second edition, page 1414
Well, yes, it “grows in Virginia,” but the one in this photo grows on the University of South Carolina campus here in Columbia, an easy walk for me.
Now, if you draw a line on a map from eastern Texas to Minnesota, you can probably find this tree growing in the area east of the line, except on the Florida peninsula. Sorry, Sunshine State.
This is a very well known tree and we are hitting the easy button for this Mystery Plant.
It is indeed an oak, and very beautiful. It grows in a variety of natural habitats, including different humidity gradients. It is a common component of eastern “oak-hickory” forests.
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Mature trees can be over 100 feet tall. Those that grow in more or less canopy situations, that is, with many close neighbor trees, tend to grow taller and a little thinner, so to speak, than those that grow in more open environments. These trees often develop a spectacular crown spread, measured from edge to edge, in that the branches extend far away from the main trunk; Sometimes the tree will have a spread that can be almost as large as its height.
This week’s Mystery Plant is known for developing spectacular crown spreads; Sometimes the tree will have a spread that can be almost as large as its height.
JOHN NELSON
The bark of this species is pale, usually gray or almost white. It grinds quite evenly, giving a sort of flaky effect.
The foliage is almost unmistakable. Each leaf has a short petiole, with an oblong blade usually 4 to 6 inches long. Each side of the leaf will feature several elongated lobes, rounded at the tips, with deep sinuses and, unlike the “red oak” species, without any bristles at the tip of the lobe.
The young leaves in the spring, when just opening, are soft and often pink, eventually becoming more durable and bright green on the upper surface. The lower surface of the leaf usually has many tiny hairs that give a whitish effect. Being a deciduous species, all the leaves fall off in autumn, but not before changing color, usually a maroon or red tone, and very attractive.
Acorns are produced once the trees grow large enough. In the wild, fallen acorns don’t last long, as hungry critters think they are delicious, a treat, and an important food source for a variety of wildlife species.
Wood has been appreciated for a variety of uses. One of the most interesting uses is for cooperage or cooperage making. Our oak wood is perfect for this task; Finished barrels are traditionally used to store whiskey, after the inside surface of the barrel has been charred.
Ancient and very majestic individuals can be found in various locations, some dating back to the time of the American Revolution. They say one of the most impressive individuals can be found in Bedford, New York. This oak is about 500 years old and is truly magnificent. Bedfordians are very proud of this (for information, https://www.bedfordhistoricalsociety.org/bedford-oak), and rightly so. A visit to Bedford is on my bucket list.
Answer: “White oak”, Quercus alba.
John Nelson is the retired curator of the AC Moore Herbarium at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. As a public service, the herbarium offers free plant identifications. For more information, visit herbarium.org, call (803) 777-8196 or email nelson@sc.edu.
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