The _bark_ on young stems is smooth, gray to brown on older trees, thick
and broken by shallow fissures into regular, flat smooth-surfaced
plates.
The _leaves_ are simple, alternate, 5 to 9 inches long, and 4 to 6
inches wide, broader toward the tip, divided into 7 to 9 lobes, each
lobe being somewhat coarsely toothed and bristle-tipped, and firm, dull
green above, paler below, often turning to a brilliant red after frost.
The _winter buds_ are small, light reddish-brown and smooth. The
_flowers_, as in all the oaks, are of two kinds on the same tree, the
staminate in long drooping, clustered catkins, opening with the leaves,
the female solitary or slightly clustered. The _fruit_ is a large acorn
maturing the second year. The nut is from 3/4 to 1-3/4 inches long,
blunt-topped, flat at base, with only its base enclosed in the very
shallow dark brown cup.
The _wood_ is hard, strong, coarse-grained, with light, reddish-brown
heartwood and thin lighter-colored sapwood. It is used for cooperage,
interior finish, construction, furniture, and crossties. Because of its
average rapid growth, high-grade wood and general freedom from insect
and fungus attack, it should be widely planted in the State for timber
production and as a shade tree.
This red oak, _Quercus shumardii_ Buckley, is found only in the
southern counties along the borders of streams and swamps. Its leaves
are dark green and lustrous, paler beneath and have tufts of pale
hairs in the angles of the veins. The acorns are long-oval in shape,
held in thick saucer-like cups composed of closely appressed hairy
scales.
+BLACK OAK+ _Quercus velutina_ Lam.
THE black oak, sometimes farther north called yellow oak or
yellow-barked oak, usually grows to be about 80 feet in height and 1 to
3 feet in diameter. It is found commonly throughout the State. The crown
is irregularly shaped and wide, with a clear trunk for 20 feet or more
on large trees. The _bark_ on the very young trees is smooth and dark
brown but soon becomes thick and black, with deep furrows and rough
broken ridges. The bright yellow color and bitter taste of the inner
bark, due to tannic acid, are distinguishing characteristics.
[Illustration: BLACK OAK