![]() ![]() ![]() One of these specialists is the chestnut oak ( Q. There are many other species of oak in Ohio, but most of them have specific habitat requirements. That particular tree has relatively small scales here’s another (about the same diameter) whose scales are much larger:īoth red and white oaks are generalists, found in a variety of habitats. The bark of white oaks is very different, a very pale gray (hence the name), flaking off in scales: On larger individuals, the bark near ground level may be much rougher than this, but you can always find this pattern if you look at the upper limbs. The bark consists of a smooth(ish) medium gray (sometimes slightly brownish) ground interrupted by ragged vertical grooves that are considerably darker. Red oaks are some of the most common trees in my yard, and they invariably have a bark pattern that is both unique and easy to spot: For that reason, features of the bark and morphological details (e.g., branching pattern) are much more useful in the forest. Forest trees, on the other hand, are much more similar in shape. A tree growing in isolation (in the middle of a pasture, say) has a characteristic shape that varies quite a bit from one species to another. The overall shape of a tree can be useful in identification, but it can also be misleading. American beech ( Fagus grandifolia) has very pale, almost yellow leaves, and as you walk through the forest in winter, the sapling beech trees are obvious. alba) has leaves that are paler and grayer. In late fall and winter, the leaves of red oak ( Quercus rubra) are a rich brown. I managed to get three species into one photo: A few kinds of trees do hang onto their leaves until very late in the winter, which makes them easy to pick out. So what are we waiting for? Let’s go! I live in Athens County in southeastern Ohio, in the Appalachian foothills, so we’ll begin by taking a look at some of the trees in my yard.įirst, I have to admit that I lied about the trees having no leaves. (Californians and South Floridians are exempted from noticing.) Everything is gray, the trees have no leaves, and no one in their right mind would go out into the woods to identify trees this time of year, right? In case you haven’t looked out your windows for a while, it’s the middle of winter. ![]()
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