Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all

Common forest trees of North Carolina

items 48 of 80 items
  • wcu_great_smoky_mtns-9708.jpg
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  • ■€>-#€fe>«J^-s^> -& <f^-e -e> ■$&=><$&+<= WATER OAK (Quercus nigra L.) THE water oak is found native along the borders of swamps and streams and on rich bottomlands, over the Coastal Plain and somewhat farther inland. It has been considerably planted in the Southern States along streets and in parks as a shade tree. When fully grown this tree reaches a height of about 80 feet and a diameter of from 1 to over 3 feet. The tru^nk is shapely. The bark is smooth, light brown winged with red, and has many smooth thin scales over the surface. The water oak can be most readily distinguished from the willow oak— a close associate, but longer-lived— by the differences in the general shape and size of the leaves. The leaves are simple, quite variable in shape, mostly oblong, broader near the point, and narrower at the base, giving a wedge-shaped effect. They are usually slightly 3-lobed at the outer end, thin, and of a dull bluish-green color, paler below than above; mostly smooth, and usually 2 to 3 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide; they remain green for some time and gradually fall from the tree during the winter. The flowers appear in April wrhen the leaves are beginning to unfold. The fruit, or acorn, matures at the end of the second season. The acorn is from one-half to twro-thirds of an inch in length and nearly as broad, light brown or yellowish brown and often striped, enclosed at the base only in a thin saucer-shaped cup. The wood is heavy, hard, and strong, light brown in color, with lighter-colored sapwood. It is not used to a great extent as lumber, but the trees are cut and utilized for piling, crossties and fuel. WATER OAK Leaf, one-third natural size. Twig, one-half natural size. 46
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).