Q&A for How to Identify Oak Trees

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How do I identify an oak tree in the winter?

Michael Simpson, PhD
Registered Professional Biologist
Dr. Michael Simpson (Mike) is a Registered Professional Biologist in British Columbia, Canada. He has over 20 years of experience in ecology research and professional practice in Britain and North America, with an emphasis on plants and biological diversity. Mike also specializes in science communication and providing education and technical support for ecology projects. Mike received a BSc with honors in Ecology and an MA in Society, Science, and Nature from The University of Lancaster in England as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. He has worked in British, North American, and South American ecosystems, and with First Nations communities, non-profits, government, academia, and industry.

Michael Simpson, PhD

Registered Professional Biologist

Expert Answer

If you are identifying an oak tree, the leaves can be helpful. Some species are deciduous (they shed their leaves for the winter), while others are evergreen or semi-evergreen, and that can complicate things during the winter. Identifying species without acorns or a good field guide can be really hard, though.

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Question

Which oak trees have the largest acorns?

Community Answer

Bur oaks have the largest acorn, about one and a half inches long on average.

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Do oak trees have shallow roots?

Community Answer

Yes, depending on what you mean by shallow. They are about 18 inches under the ground, which means they can be accessed with a shovel or another tool. They can also grow longer than 18 inches.

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Do oak trees have string-like blooms that they shed in spring?

Community Answer

Yes. They're called catkins or aments. They are the male flowers on an oak tree and once they've released their pollen, they fall off. The female flowers are very small and hard to see, and are located where the acorns will form later in the year.

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How can I identify oak by the grain of its wood?

Community Answer

Oak is fairly easy to identify if you know what to look for. Oak medullary rays make it unique.

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What is the difference between a pin oak and a regular oak?

Community Answer

Pin oaks have leaves that are noticeably thinner in their midsection than red oaks. Their leaves are also much shinier than that of a red oak. pin oaks have smaller acorn, and the acorns may be slightly hairy on close observation. The twigs of a pin oak are considerably more slender. Be aware that red oak and pin oak can hybridize, and in this case, they are hard to get a positive identification on.

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What are the green balls with the star-shaped seed inside?

Community Answer

They are gumballs. They usually grow on sweet gum trees. The resin they produce is used in many medicines as well as chewing gum. They are normally spiky and grow in places like Georgia, Alabama, and the northernmost points in Florida (the panhandle and near the northern state border).

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How do I find a young oak tree?

Community Answer

Young oak trees are easily identified, even in winter, because, after the leaves die, they remain on the tree until spring, when new leaves come in.

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What are the squiggly brown droppings from oaks?

Community Answer

These are oak seeds, sometimes referred to as "helicopter" seeds. They most commonly fall from maple trees but can also fall from oaks. These "squiggly brown droppings" are basically a miniature form of oak tree, at its most basic and ready to start growing.

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What kind of oak tress grow in South Carolina?

Community Answer

Black Tupelo, Eastern Redbud, Flowering Dogwood, Laurel Oak, Live Oak - Evergreen, Southern Magnolia, Sweetbay, and Willow Oak.

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