Black Oak
(Wide & Flat: Alternate Arrangement) |
| A relatively fast-growing tree to 75' high, one of the most common
oaks on dry, upland sites. The acorns are eaten by wildlife, but not preferred;
the young stems and twigs are browsed by deer. A yellow dye can be made from the
bark. The wood is lumped with other oak species and sold as red oak for general
construction lumber and furniture. |
Quercus velutina Lam.
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| Leaves |
| Alternate, simple, 4"-8" long, 3"-5"
wide; each has 5-7 pointed, bristle-tipped lobes, sinuses between the lobes go
halfway to the mid-rib on lower leaves, deeper on top leaves; smooth and shiny
above and usually covered with a rust-brown fuzz below. |
| Twigs |
| Reddish brown, usually fuzzy. Buds blunt pointed, ridged,
yellow-grey, wooly. |
| Fruit |
| An acorn, ½"-1" long, somewhat round, light
brown. The acorn-cup is bowl-like with wooly hairs, covering 1/2 or more of the
nut; cup-scales sharp-pointed, forming a loose fringe at the rim. Black oak acorns
need two growing-seasons to ripen; kernels are yellow and extremely bitter. |
| Bark |
| Smooth and dark brown for many years, older trunks are dull
black, furrowed, furrows forming irregular blocks; inner bark orange to orange-yellow. |
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