Chapter II: Front Matter (2)

The variety shumardii has leaves with narrow lobes, a rougher, dark grayish bark, and deeper cups to the acorns. It is the more common form in Texas.

TEXAS OAK
Quercus shumardii var. texana (Buckl.) Ashe

Texas oak is found on the dry limestone hills and ridges, and in the more fertile soils at their base, in Central and western Texas to the Edwards Plateau. It is rarely over 30 feet tall or 10 inches in diameter.

The BARK is light brown, red-tinged, deeply ridged, and broken into plate-like scales.

The LEAVES are deciduous 2½ to 3 inches wide, 3 to 3½ inches long; widest above the middle; divided into 5 to 7 lobes, with the terminal lobe 3-lobed; dark green and shiny above, pale-shiny below; petiole slender, about 1 inch long.

The FRUIT is short-stemmed, usually single, ¼ to ¾ inch long and broad, varying to nearly 1 inch long and ⅓ inch broad, set in a cup that covers one-third or less of the fruit, reddish-brown and often streaked with dark lines.

The WOOD is most useful for fuel.

GRAVES OAK (Q. gravesii Sudw.) is found in the Davis and Chisos Mountains of southwestern Texas.

BLACK OAK
Quercus velutina Lam.

Black oak, also called yellow oak, reaches 80 feet in height and 1 to 3 feet in diameter. It grows in East Texas, and in the hills and canyons near the mouth of the Pecos River. 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 trunks is smooth and dark brown, but soon becomes thick and black with deep furrows and rough broken edges. The bright yellow color and bitter taste of the inner bark are distinguishing characteristics.

The LEAVES are deciduous, alternate, simple, 5 to 10 inches long and 3 to 8 inches wide, shallow or deeply lobed, the shape varying greatly. When mature, the leaves are dark green and shiny on the upper surface, pale on the lower, more or less covered with a scurfy yellow or orange down, and with conspicuous rusty brown hairs in the forks of the veins.

The FRUIT matures the second season. The light brown nut is from ½ to 1 inch long, more or less hemispherical in shape, and from one-half to three-fourths enclosed in the thin, dark brown, scaly cup. The yellow kernel is bitter.

The WOOD, used and marketed as red oak, is hard, heavy, strong, coarse-grained, and checks easily. It is a bright red-brown with a thin outer edge of paler sapwood.

SOUTHERN RED OAK
Quercus falcata Michx.

Southern red oak, commonly known as red oak and formerly as Spanish oak, usually reaches a height of 80 feet and diameter of 3 feet, although larger trees are found. It grows on dry hills in the eastern part of the state to the Brazos River, while three varieties are found in richer, more moist locations. Its large spreading branches form a broad, round, open top. The BARK is rough, not deeply furrowed, and varies from light gray on younger trees to dark gray or almost black on older ones.

The LEAVES are deciduous, with pear-shaped or irregular, rounded or narrow bristle-tipped lobes, the central lobe often longest. Variety pagodaefolia Ell., (Cherrybark Oak) has more numerous lobes. All leaves have brown or gray down beneath.

The staminate FLOWERS appear as catkins 3-5 inches long in April while the leaves unfold. The FRUIT ripens the second year. The small, rounded, ½ inch long acorn is set in a thin saucer-shaped cup that tapers to a short stalk.

The WOOD is heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, and valuable for lumber. The bark is rich in tannin. The tree is also desirable for shade and ornamental use.

BLACKJACK OAK
Quercus marilandica Muenchh.

The occurrence of blackjack oak is said to indicate poor soil since it often occurs on dry or poorly drained, gravelly, clay, or sandy upland soils where few other forest trees thrive. This perhaps accounts chiefly for its slow rate of growth. It is found in those parts of the state that support a natural tree growth, as far west as Callahan County. The tree sometimes reaches a height of 50 or 60 feet and a diameter of 16 inches, but it is usually much smaller. Its hard, stiff, drooping branches form a dense crown which usually contains many persistent dead twigs.

The BARK is rough, very dark, often nearly black, and “blocky”; inner bark bright orange or yellow.

The LEAVES are deciduous, tawny-pubescent, of leathery texture, dark green on the upper surface, lighter underneath, broadly wedge-shaped, and variable in shape, 4 to 10 inches long and about the same in width. The FRUIT is an acorn about ¾ inch long, yellow-brown and often striped, enclosed for half its length or more in a thick, light-brown cup. The acorns mature at the end of the second season; flesh of cotyledons yellow.

The WOOD is heavy, hard and strong. It is used for firewood and is made into charcoal.

WATER OAK
Quercus nigra L.

Water oak is native along the borders of swamps and streams and on rich bottomlands in Texas as far west as the Colorado River. It has been widely planted along streets and in parks as a shade tree. When fully grown this tree reaches a height of about 80 feet and a diameter exceeding 1 to 3 feet. The BARK is smooth, light brown tinged with red, and has many smooth, thin scales over the surface. Water oak can be best distinguished from the willow oak—a close associate, but longer-lived—by the differences in the general shape and size of leaves.

The LEAVES are simple, quite variable in shape, mostly oblong, broader near the point, and more narrow at the base, giving a wedge-shaped effect, often slightly three-lobed at the outer end, thin, and of a dull bluish-green color, paler below than above; mostly smooth, and usually 2 or 3 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide; remain green for some time, then turn yellow and gradually fall from the tree during the winter.

The FLOWERS appear in April when the leaves begin to unfold. The FRUIT, an acorn, matures at the end of the second season. The acorn is from ½ to ⅔ inch long 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. The wood is utilized chiefly for crossties and fuel.

WILLOW OAK (Pin Oak)
Quercus phellos L.

Willow oak, also called water oak, and pin oak, occurs in the eastern part of the state to the Brazos River. It is frequently found in lowlands and along the borders of rivers and swamps, but often also on rich sandy uplands. It is a beautiful and long-lived tree, and desirable for roadsides, lawns and parks.

The BARK is generally smooth and of a reddish-brown color; with age, the bark becomes slightly roughened and divided by narrow ridges.

The slender willow-like LEAVES on a tree whose habit of growth is manifestly that of an oak, make the tree easy to identify in the forest. The deciduous leaves are 2 to 5 inches long and ½ to 1 inch wide, smooth, light green and shiny above, but dull and usually smooth below; alternate in arrangement on the twig and borne on a short stout petiole.

The FRUIT, small acorns, closely set along the stem, matures at the end of the second year. The nut is a light yellow-brown hemisphere, about ½ inch in diameter, its base scarcely enclosed in the shallow, pale greenish-red or reddish-brown cup. The nuts are eaten as food by bluejays, grackles (blackbirds), several other species of birds, and by rodents.

The WOOD is not separated commercially from other species in the red oak group. It is heavy, strong, rather coarse-grained, light brown tinged with red, and not durable when exposed to the weather. It is used locally for crossties, bridge planks, barn sills, and general construction.

BLUEJACK OAK (Sandjack Oak)
Quercus incana Bartr.

This species, which grows on dry sand hills, is usually no more than 25 feet in height and 5 or 6 inches in diameter; ranging mainly through East Texas extending as far west as the Brazos River and scattering in Central and Northwest Texas.

The BARK is similar to that of blackjack, being divided into thick nearly square blocks 1 to 2 inches in length and covered with small dark brown or nearly black scales slightly tinged with red.

The LEAVES of this tree are oblong-lanceolate, pale blue-green above, almost white beneath; 2 to 5 inches in length and 1 to l½ inches in width with a stout yellow midrib. The tree is most attractive in early spring when it is covered with the light red flowers and young leaves.

ACORNS are produced in great profusion, sessile, or on a short stock. They are rounded at the ends, striate, and about ½ inch in length, and mature at the end of the second year.

The WOOD is hard, strong, close-grained, light brown, tinged with red. It has a dark colored sapwood. The wood is of no value except for fuel.

There are several hybrids of this species reported in Texas.

EMORY OAK
Quercus emoryi Torr.

In the canyons and on the southern slopes of the Davis and Chisos Mountains occurs this interesting oak with glossy, spiny, “holly-like” leaves, and sweet, edible acorns. A small round-topped tree up to 30 or 40 feet in height, the emory oak has drooping branches and slender, decidedly reddish branchlets.

The LEAVES are mostly persistent, oblong, pointed, smooth or sharply toothed along the margin, thick, very glossy green, about 2 inches long and less than 1 inch wide.

The acorn, or FRUIT, is borne close to the branchlet and matures in one season. It is oblong in shape, ½ inch or more in length, with a dark brown or nearly black nut enclosed for about one-third its length in a narrow cup. The latter is lined with dense gray fuzz or “tomentum.”

The WOOD is heavy, strong, somewhat brittle, close-grained, dark brown, with light brown sapwood tinged with red. The acorns are an important article of food for Mexicans and Indians.

MEXICAN BLUE OAK (Q. oblongifolia Torr.), closely resembling emory oak, is a smaller tree and does not occur at the higher elevations (over 6,000 ft.) where emory oak may be found.

GRAY OAK (Quercus grisea Liebm.) occurs in the Trans-Pecos area in Texas. This species is a scrub or small tree 20 to 30 feet high, but sometimes reaching a height of 65 feet.

LIVE OAK
Quercus virginiana Mill.

Live oak range extends from southeastern Virginia through the lower Coastal Plain of the Atlantic and Gulf States; in Texas, from the mouth of the Rio Grande north to the Red River and west to the Guadalupe Mountains, also in southern Mexico and Cuba. It is a tree of striking character from its wide-spreading habit; sometimes reaching more than 100 feet in spread; with a short stout trunk, 3 to 4 feet in diameter, dividing in several large limbs with nearly horizontal branches, forming a low, dense, round-topped head. Its height is commonly from 40 to 50 feet. The BARK on the trunk and large branches is dark brown tinged with red, and slightly furrowed. It grows to largest size on the rich hammocks and low ridges near the coast and only a few feet above the water level. Slow-growing and long-lived, it is one of the most desirable trees for roadside and ornamental planting throughout most of its range. It is one of the very few trees that is apparently immune to cotton root-rot.

The LEAVES are simple, persistent, thick, leathery, oblong, smooth above, pale and silvery white beneath; from 2 to 4 inches in length and 1 to 2 inches in breadth.

The FRUIT is an acorn about 1 inch long and ⅓ inch wide, borne on a long stem or peduncle; it is oblong, dark brown and lustrous, and set in a top-shaped, downy cup of a light reddish-brown color. The acorn matures at the end of the first season.

The WOOD is very heavy, hard, strong and tough, light brown or yellow, with nearly white, thin sapwood. It was formerly largely used in ship building.

MOHRS OAK (Shin Oak)
Quercus mohriana Buckl.

Over a wide section of Central Texas, on inferior soils, are found four or more species of “shin” oaks, so called from their low-growing bushy habit. Mature trees vary from 3 to 18 feet high. These are considerably alike in foliage and fruit. The “oak shinneries” form a forest cover in Central Texas that affords watershed protection on the head waters of some of the state’s main rivers.

The tree has a thin, pale-colored BARK, rough, with deep furrows running up and down the tree.

The deciduous LEAVES of the above small-tree species of shin oak are elliptical, pointed or rounded at the end, smooth or wavy or sometimes lobed or slightly toothed along the margin. They are thick, gray-green, dense hairy beneath, about 3 inches long by 1 inch wide.

The acorns, or FRUIT, occur solitarily or in pairs, on very short peduncles, and mature in one season. They are small, deeply enclosed in a relatively heavy cup, thin toward the outer end.

The WOOD of Mohrs oak is not of economic importance.

DURAND OAK (Durand White Oak)
Quercus durandii Buckl.

This oak is found on the well-drained soil of river bottoms from the coast region of East Texas to the bottoms of the Guadalupe River (Victoria County) and inland to San Saba County, and the Dallas area.

It forms a tree 60 to 90 feet high with a tall trunk 2 to 3 feet in diameter; comparatively small branches, the lower horizontal, the upper ascending, forming a dense, round-topped, handsome head.

The BARK is thin, light gray or nearly white and broken into loose appressed scales.

The deciduous LEAVES are 2½ to 7 inches long, yellow-green, thin, smooth on the edges, three-lobed toward the tip, or irregularly lobed, the three forms appearing on different branches of the same tree.

The FRUIT, an acorn, solitary or in pairs on a very short peduncle, is nearly egg-shaped, pale chestnut-brown, shinning, ½ to ¾ inch long, and barely enclosed at the base in the thin saucer-shaped cup. The acorn matures in one season.

The WOOD is hard and heavy and is used largely as fuel.

WHITE OAK
Quercus alba L.

Within its natural range, which includes practically the entire eastern half of the United States, the white oak is one of the most important timber trees. Found in East Texas to the Brazos River, it commonly reaches a height of 80 feet and a diameter of 3 feet. It is found on high quality soils. Grown in a dense stand it has a long, straight trunk, free of side branches for over half of its height. In the open, it develops a short trunk and broad crown with far-reaching limbs.

The BARK is thin, light ashy gray and covered with loose scales or broad plates.

The deciduous LEAVES are alternate, simple, 5 to 9 inches long and about half as broad. They are deeply divided into 5 to 9 rounded, finger-like lobes. The young leaves are a soft silvery-gray or yellow or red while unfolding, later becoming bright green and lustrous or dull above and much paler and glaucous below. The FRUIT, an acorn maturing in one season, is ¾ to 1 inch long, light brown, and about one-fourth enclosed in a warty cup. The acorn is relished by hogs and other livestock.

The WOOD is heavy, strong, hard, tough, close-grained, durable, and light brown in color. The uses are many, including construction, watertight barrels, furniture, wagons, implements, interior finish, flooring, and fuel. Although white oak is slow growing, it is valuable for forest, highway and ornamental planting.

POST OAK
Quercus stellata Wangenh.

Post oak of Texas is usually a medium-sized tree, with a rounded crown, commonly reaching a height of 50 feet and a diameter of 1 foot, but sometimes considerably larger. It is the common oak in Central Texas and occurs frequently in East Texas. It occurs most abundantly on the poorer upland soils that have poor drainage.

The deciduous LEAVES are usually 4 to 5 inches long and nearly as broad, deeply five-lobed with broad rounded divisions, the lobes broadest at the ends. They are thick and somewhat leathery, dark green and shiny on the upper surface, lighter green and rough hairy beneath.

The FLOWERS, like those of the other oaks, are of two kinds on the same tree, the male in drooping clustered catkins, the female inconspicuous. The FRUIT, an oval acorn ½ to 1 inch long, is set in a rather small cup which has thin scales and may or may not be stalked. The fruit matures in one season.

The WOOD is heavy, hard, close-grained, light to dark brown, and durable in contact with the soil. It is used for crossties and fence posts, and occasionally for furniture and lumber.

Aside from the typical form, two varieties are found in the state. The variety margaretta (Ashe) Sarg. is the common post oak of eastern Texas.

BUR OAK (Mossy-Cup Oak)
Quercus macrocarpa Michx.

Bur oak occurs throughout the eastern part of the state and as far west as Callahan and Menard Counties, in rich bottomlands along streams, or on rich hillsides along spring-fed rivers. The name alludes to the fringe around the cup of the acorn, which is sometimes large. The tree usually has a broad top of heavy spreading branches and a relatively short body. In maturity it attains a diameter of 5 feet or more and a height of over 80 feet.

The branches frequently have conspicuous corky ridges after the second year.

The BARK is light gray and is usually broken up into small narrow flakes. The deciduous LEAVES resemble somewhat those of the common white oak, but are much larger and have a pair of deep indentations on their border near the base, and wavy notches on the broad, middle and upper portions of the leaf. They range from 6 to 12 inches long and 3 to 6 inches wide. The FRUIT, or acorn, is set deeply in the fringed cup. The fruit is usually 1 inch or more in diameter but varies widely in respect to size and the degree to which the nut is enclosed in the mossy-fringed cup. The fruit matures in one season.

The WOOD is heavy, hard, strong, tough and durable. It is used for much the same purposes as the other white oaks—for lumber, crossties, and fuel.

OVERCUP OAK
Quercus lyrata Walt.

Overcup oak, sometimes known as the swamp post oak or water white oak, becomes a large tree with small, often pendulous branches. It is found in moist, rich bottomlands in East Texas to the Navasota River Valley.

The LEAVES are deciduous, 7 to 9 inches long, 1 to 4 inches broad, oblong, wider toward the point, narrowed at the base, dark green above, often whitish beneath, with 7 to 9 distinct pointed lobes. They frequently turn to a bright scarlet or to scarlet and orange in the fall. The BARK is rough, flaky, and gray tinged with red.

The FLOWERS open with the unfolding of the leaves. The FRUIT, an acorn, ripens in one season. The large rounded or somewhat flattened acorn, an inch or more across and ½ to 1 inch high, is nearly covered by the ovate or nearly spherical cup, which is thickened at the base but gradually grows thinner, often irregularly split at the margin of the cup.

The WOOD is heavy, hard, strong, and durable and is used for the same purposes as that of white oak.

SWAMP CHESTNUT OAK
Quercus michauxii Nutt.

This species, also called basket oak and cow oak, is distinguished by having a wavy leaf-margin, a large fruit which is sessile or very short stalked, and by the fact that it occurs in its greatest abundance in bottomlands. It is confined chiefly to the eastern part of the state as far west as the Trinity River.

In the appearance of its bark and branches it closely resembles the ordinary white oak, but the leaf lacks deep indentations and the acorn is usually larger. The tree attains heights of about 100 feet and diameters of about 4 feet.

The LEAVES are deciduous, obovate or oblong ovate, notched on the edge somewhat like the chinkapin oak, but the lobes are rounded instead of pointed. They vary from 4 to 8 inches in length, are downy beneath and turn a rich crimson in the fall. The BARK is very light gray, and on old trees is broken into broad flakes or divided into strips.

The acorn, or FRUIT, matures in one season and attains a diameter of more than an inch and a length of 1½ inches. The acorn is a bright, shiny brown and set in a rather shallow cup. The acorn is frequently eaten by cows and this fact gives the tree one of its common names.

The WOOD is heavy, hard, tough, strong, and takes an excellent polish. It is used in manufacturing lumber, veneer, boards (shakes), water-tight barrels, fuel, fence posts, and baskets.

CHINKAPIN OAK
Quercus muhlenbergii Engelm.

This oak, also known as chestnut oak, occurs over the eastern part of the state and west to the Guadalupe River; also on the Guadalupe Mountains. It grows on most classes of soils, except in swamps, and is tenacious on shallow, dry, limestone soil. The BARK is light gray, and breaks up in the short narrow flakes on the main trunk and old limbs.

It reaches a height of 20 to 50 feet. The straight, shapely trunk bears a round-topped head composed of small branches, which makes it an attractive shade tree.

The LEAVES are deciduous, oblong, 3 to 6 inches in length, 1½ to 3 inches wide, equally toothed or notched on the edges, resembling the leaves of chestnut oak. The FRUIT, which ripens in the fall of the first season, is light to dark brown when ripe, and edible if roasted. This acorn is ½ to nearly 1 inch long, usually less than 1 inch in diameter, and set in a shallow cup.

The WOOD is heavy, hard, strong, durable, and takes an excellent polish. It is used for barrels, fencing, crossties, fuel, and occasionally for furniture.

AMERICAN ELM (White Elm)
Ulmus americana L.

The range of this famous American shade tree extends west to the Dakotas and southward to Coke County, Texas. Within this vast area, it is generally common except in the high mountains and wet bottomlands. It reaches an average height of 60 feet and a diameter of 3 feet. The BARK is dark gray, divided into irregular flat-topped, thick ridges, and is generally firm. An incision into an outer ridge of bark will show alternate brown and cream colored layers. A cross section of slippery elm bark is uniformly cream or tan colored.

The LEAVES are alternate, simple, 4 to 6 inches long, rather thick, somewhat lopsided, double toothed on the margin, and either smooth or scabrous above and soft pubescent or glabrate below. The leaf veins are very pronounced and run in parallel lines from the midrib to the leaf margin.

The FLOWERS are small, perfect, greenish, on slender pedicels, soon pendulous, and appear before the leaves. The FRUIT ripens in the spring and is a light green, oval-shaped samara (winged fruit) with the seed portion in the center and surrounded entirely by a wing. A deep notch in the end of the wing is distinctive of the species.

The WOOD is heavy, hard, strong, tough, and difficult to split. It is used for hubs of wheels, saddle trees, veneer for baskets and crates, and slack cooperage.

American elm is rapidly being destroyed in the East and Midwest by the Dutch elm disease and by phloem necrosis.

WINGED ELM
Ulmus alata Michx.

Winged elm gets its common name from the thin corky growth or “wings”, usually found on smaller branches. These “wings” generally end abruptly at the leaf nodes as contrasted by the cedar elm (p. 63) whose “wings” are generally continuous. On large rapidly growing trees the wings are often absent. It occurs in eastern Texas south to the valley of the Guadalupe River, on dry uplands, and in moist soils along streams and swamps. It grows rapidly in moist situations, and may also be planted along roadsides in relatively dry, poor locations. It is comparatively free from disease, though not long-lived. Winged elm is a medium-sized tree 40 to 50 feet in height and rarely as large as 2 feet in diameter. It forms a rather open, round-topped head.

The BARK is light brown tinged with red, and divided by irregular shallow fissures into flat ridges.

The LEAVES are simple alternate, 2 to 4 inches long and 1 to 2 inches broad, coarsely double-toothed, thick, dark green and smooth above, and pale and pale-pubescent or glabrous below with auxiliary hairs and prominent veins. The leaves are small and pointed at the tip, which distinguishes them from the small blunt leaves of the cedar elm.

The FLOWERS appear in early spring, long before the leaves unfold. The FRUIT ripens in the spring about the time the leaves appear; it is winged, tipped with two, small, incurved arms or beaks; oblong, reddish-brown; about ⅓ inch long, with a long, slender pedicel at the base, and covered with white hairs.

The WOOD is very similar to that of the other elms—heavy, hard, and difficult to split. It is occasionally used for hubs and mauls. Formerly, rope made of the inner bark was used for binding the covers to cotton bales.

CEDAR ELM
Ulmus crassifolia Nutt.

Cedar elm is distributed widely over the state, near streams, in deep rich soil, and on dry, limestone hills. It is the most common elm tree of Texas, extending to the Pecos River. It forms a tree up to 75 feet high with a tall straight trunk 2 to 3 feet in diameter, and with an inversely conic round-topped head and drooping branches. It reaches its largest size on the bottomlands of the Guadalupe and Trinity Rivers.

The BARK is light-brown tinged with red, deeply fissured, with flattened, scaly ridges. The young twigs are finely velvet and reddish, sometimes developing thin corky wings which continue around the leaf nodes.

The LEAVES are small, the largest less than 2 inches long, often double toothed and usually rather blunt at the tip. Their upper surface is dark green and rough, while the lower surface and petiole are hairy.

The FLOWERS, which appear in the autumn, are in small short-pedicelled clusters at the axils of the leaves. The FRUIT, an oval-shaped samara slightly more than ¼ inch long, is hairy all over, especially on the edges and is deeply notched at the tip.

The WOOD is reddish-brown, brittle, and with a thick layer of lighter colored sapwood. The wood is sometimes used in the manufacture of hubs, furniture, and fencing.

SLIPPERY ELM (Red Elm)
Ulmus rubra Muhl.

Slippery elm, or red elm, is found in the eastern and southern parts of the state as far as the upper Guadalupe and Leon Rivers in Kerr and Comal Counties. It is found principally on the banks of streams and on low hillsides in rich soil. It is a tree of small to moderate size, but noticeably wide-spreading. It is usually less than 40 feet in height and 6 inches in diameter, although trees of larger dimensions are occasionally found.

The BARK on the trunk is frequently 1 inch thick, dark grayish-brown on the surface, uniformly tan or cream colored in cross section, and broken by shallow fissures into flat ridges. The inner bark is used to some extent for medicinal purposes and, when chewed, affords a slippery mucilaginous substance, whence the tree gets its name.

The LEAVES are simple, alternate on the stem, 4 to 6 inches in length, sharp-pointed, their bases unsymmetrical, doubly toothed on the edges, thick, dark green, and very rough above, pubescent below.

The FLOWERS appear in early spring and are nearly sessile. The FRUIT, a samara, ¾ inch long and ½ inch in diameter, consists of a seed surrounded by a thin, broad, greenish wing. The fruit ripens when the leaves are about half grown. The margin of the fruit is not ciliate.

The WOOD is close-grained, tough, strong, heavy, hard, and moderately durable in contact with the soil. Slippery elm and American elm are sold commercially as “soft elm,” and have similar uses.

PLANER TREE (Water Elm)
Planera aquatica (Walt.) Gmel.

Planer tree or water elm is found on low wet lands along the streams of the eastern part of the state as far west as Brazos and Matagorda Counties. It forms a small spreading tree with a low broad head 30 to 40 feet in height and with a maximum trunk diameter of 20 inches.

The BARK is light brown or gray, about ¼ inch thick, and separates into large scales.

The LEAVES resemble those of the small-leaved elms. They are 2 to 2½ inches long, ¾ to 1 inch wide on a short petiole, dark dull green above and paler on the lower surface, and have yellowish veins.

The FLOWERS appear with the leaves in March or early April. The small flowers are sometimes perfect; occasionally the male and female flowers are borne separately on the same tree. The FRUIT is a peculiar, rounded, shaggy-appearing structure, about ⅜ inch long. It consists of a nut-like center covered with soft and irregular wing-like outgrowths which extend out on all sides from the center.

The WOOD is light brown, coarse-grained and soft, very light in weight, and has a broad zone of nearly white sapwood. The wood has little economic value.

HACKBERRY
Celtis occidentalis L.

Hackberry is found over eastern Texas on various types of soil. It is usually a medium-sized to large tree, becoming 60 to 100 feet or more high and 10 to 20 inches in diameter. Its limbs are often crooked and angular and bear a head made of slender, pendant branches or short, bristly, stubby twigs. In the open, the crown is generally symmetrical. It makes an excellent shade tree.

The BARK is brownish-gray, one inch or more thick, and generally very rough with many scale-like or warty projections of dead bark.

The LEAVES are simple, ovate, alternate, one-sided, 2 to 4 inches long, thick, very rough above, green on both surfaces, and the edges toothed toward the long point. The FLOWERS are inconspicuous, and the two kinds are borne on the same tree. They appear in April or May, and are of a creamy greenish color. The FRUIT is a round, somewhat oblong, drupe or berry, dark purple, ⅓ inch in diameter, ripening in September. The peduncle (fruit stem) is much longer than the petiole of the leaf. It has a thin, purplish skin, and sweet yellowish flesh. The berries frequently hang on the tree most of the winter.

The WOOD is heavy, rather soft, weak, and decays readily when exposed. It is used chiefly for fuel, and occasionally for lumber.

The range of this hackberry extends far into the northern and northeastern parts of the United States.

SUGARBERRY (Sugar Hackberry)
Celtis laevigata Willd.

Sugarberry is distributed widely over the eastern half of the state. It occurs most abundantly and attains greatest size in rich alluvial soil, but thrives on various soil types. The species may grow 30 to 50 feet high and 10 to 20 inches in diameter, though sometimes much larger. Its limbs are spreading or pendulous, forming a broad head. Its branchlets are slender, light green, glabrous or pubescent when young, and bright reddish-brown during their first winter.

The BARK is pale gray and covered with prominent excrescences.

The LEAVES are simple, oblong-lanceolate, one-sided, 2½ to 5 inches long, thin, smooth, with the edges entire.

The FLOWERS, not conspicuous, are borne on slender, smooth peduncles in April or May, and are of a creamy-greenish color. The FRUIT is short-oblong to pear shaped, orange-red or yellow, ¼ inch in diameter, and ripens in September. The peduncle of the fruit is shorter or slightly longer than the petiole of the leaf.

The WOOD is soft, weak, close-grained, and light yellow, and is used occasionally for flooring and furniture, but chiefly for fuel.

RED MULBERRY
Morus rubra L.

Red mulberry occurs in eastern Texas and west to the canyon of Devils River, Valverde County. It prefers rich moist soils. It is a small tree, rarely 50 feet high and 2 feet in diameter, often growing in the shade of larger trees.

The BARK is rather thin, dark grayish-brown, and peels off in long narrow flakes.

The LEAVES are alternate, thin, rounded or somewhat heart-shaped, toothed, pointed, 3 to 5 inches long, rough hairy above and soft hairy beneath. Some of the leaves are mitten-shaped or lobed.

The FLOWERS are of two kinds, on the same or different trees, in long drooping catkins, the female catkins shorter, appearing with the leaves.

The multiple FRUIT is edible, dark purple or black when ripe, and ¾ to 1 inch long.

The WOOD is rather light, soft, not strong, light orange-yellow, and the heartwood is durable in contact with the soil. It is chiefly used for fence posts.

The TEXAS MULBERRY (Morus microphylla Buckl.) is found in West Texas and south from the Colorado River. Its leaves are rarely longer than 1½ inches.

The WHITE MULBERRY (Morus alba L.) a native of China, has become naturalized in the United States.

OSAGE-ORANGE (Bois-d’arc)
Maclura pomifera (Raf.) Schneid.

Osage-orange, “bodark”, hedge apple, or mock orange is native to eastern and Central Texas; attaining its largest size in the valley of the Red River in the northeast part of the state. It commonly reaches a height of 20 to 40 feet and a diameter of 4 to 12 inches. The BARK is thin, gray, sometimes tinged with yellow; on old trees it is divided into strips or flakes. It contains tannin and has been used for tanning leather. The twigs are armed with stout, straight thorns ⅜ to 1 inch long.

The LEAVES are simple, alternate, oval-pointed and lustrous green on the upper surface, 3 to 5 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide, and entire. The leaves turn bright yellow in the autumn.

The yellowish FLOWERS appear in May; two kinds on the same tree—the male flowers in a linear cluster and the female flowers a rounded ball. The FRUIT is globular, from 2 to 5 inches in diameter, resembling a rough, green orange.

The WOOD is heavy, exceedingly hard, very strong, and very durable in contact with the soil. The heartwood is bright orange in color, turning brown upon exposure. It is largely used for posts. The Indians prized the wood for bows and war clubs. The tree is planted for windbreaks and hedges. The bark of the roots supply a yellow dye.

SOUTHERN MAGNOLIA (Evergreen Magnolia)
Magnolia grandiflora L.

Magnolia is one of the best-known trees in the eastern part of the state. No other tree excels it in the combined beauty of leaves and flowers. Occurring naturally in rich moist soil on the borders of river swamps and nearby uplands in the Coastal Plain to the valley of the Brazos River, it has been widely cultivated for its ornamental value. In its natural habitat, it attains heights generally of 60 to 80 feet and trunk diameters up to 4 feet. The dense pyramidal head, or crown, is made up of numerous small spreading branches and branchlets.

The LEAVES are evergreen, thick, leathery, elliptical or oval, dark green and shiny above, rusty or silvery beneath, and mostly from 5 to 8 inches long, and 2 to 3 inches wide, with prominent midribs. They remain on the tree for approximately 2 years.

The large FLOWERS are 6 to 8 inches broad, with pure white petals surrounding a splash of bright purple in the center, and have a pleasing fragrance.

The FRUIT is a rounded or oval aggregate 3 to 4 inches long containing many seeds, each enclosed in a follicle. These open in the fall and display the bright red seeds dangling on slender threads.

The WOOD is moderately heavy, hard, and of a creamy color. It is used chiefly for furniture, Venetian blinds, and fuel.

SWEETBAY (Sweetbay Magnolia)
Magnolia virginiana L.

Sweetbay, better known locally as white or swampbay, is found in the southern part of the Texas pine belt to western Montgomery County, in swamps and rich, moist soils. Often appearing as a clump of sprouts in open woods, in dense forests it grows as a tree 60 to 90 feet high, and up to 3 feet in diameter.

The bark is light gray; the branchlets silky-white.

The LEAVES are simple, oblong, pale green above and hairy-white beneath, 4 to 6 inches long, 1 to 2 inches wide, remaining on sprout growth to spring, usually dropping from older trees in the fall.

The fragrant FLOWERS, with 9 to 12 creamy-white petals on slender smooth stems, measure 2 to 3 inches across. They continue to open during several weeks of spring and early summer. The FRUIT aggregate or “bur” is oval-shaped, dark red or brown, about 2 inches long, and contains scarlet seeds which are usually oval, flattened, and less than ½ inch long.

The WOOD is soft, creamy white to reddish, and is used for furniture, boxes, woodenware, and venetian blinds.

PAWPAW
Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal

This odd and attractive tree does not grow abundantly in Texas and seems to be little known. It is found near streams in the extreme east portion of the state and in greater abundance in Harrison and Grayson Counties. It is seldom over 30 feet high with a trunk 8 or 10 inches in diameter.

The BARK on young trees and branches is a smooth, clean brown; on older trees becoming blotched with gray, and bearing a few small wart-like excrescences.

The LEAVES are obovate—lanceolate, 8 to 12 inches long, light, bright green above and paler below.

The FLOWERS are strikingly characteristic. The three light green, hairy sepals are early deciduous. The outer three petals are a rich brownish-purple and deeply veined. The inner three petals are pointed, glandular, and erect.

The FRUIT is an oblong berry 3 to 6 inches long, and contains a number of large, brown seeds. When ripe it falls to the ground, turning dark brown. The deep yellow flesh is palatable, though some people do not care for its unique flavor. The tree blooms and bears as a shrub or tree.

The WOOD is light, weak, and spongy, yellow in color, and is of no known value.

REDBAY
Persea borbonia (L.) Spreng.

Redbay is native to the Atlantic and Gulf Coast states from Virginia to southeastern and southern Texas and is a member of the Laurel family. In all, about 100 species of Persea are found in North and South America.

Redbay grows to 70 feet in height and 3 feet in diameter, with a well-shaped head of erect, stout, dark green branches. It grows in moist, rich soils along the streams and in swamps and sometimes in drier soils along with longleaf pine, over the coastal region.

The aromatic LEAVES are oblong, thick or leathery, up to 4 inches in length and 1½ inches in width, bright green with the margin entire and with a narrow, orange-colored midrib. They remain green over the first winter. The yellowish-white FLOWERS are in small clusters.

The FRUIT is a nearly round, rather fleshy, shiny, dark blue or nearly black drupe, about ½ inch long. It ripens in the autumn and contains a large rounded stone.

The WOOD is heavy, hard, strong, bright red, with thin, lighter colored sapwood. It is used for cabinet-making, and interior house finish, and has been used for boat construction.

SILKBAY (Persea humilis Nash) is a dwarf or low growing shrub or tree 6 to 10 feet in height occurring in southern Texas.

SASSAFRAS
Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees

This small tree with aromatic leaves and twigs is usually not over 40 feet in height or a foot in diameter. It is common in Texas west to the Brazos River on the drier soils, and is one of the first broad-leaved trees to grow on abandoned fields, where the seeds are dropped by birds. The species is closely related to the camphor tree of Japan. The BARK is red-brown and deeply furrowed while the bark of the twigs is bright green.

The LEAVES are unusual in that they vary widely in shape on the same tree, or even on the same twig. Some are oval and entire, 4 to 6 inches long; others have one lobe, resembling a mitten; while still others are divided at the outer end into 3 distinct lobes.

The FLOWERS are clustered, greenish-yellow, and open with the first unfolding of the leaves. The male and female flowers are usually on different trees. The FRUIT is an oblong, dark blue or black lustrous drupe surrounded at the base by what appears to be a small orange-red or scarlet cup at the end of the scarlet peduncle.

The WOOD is light, soft, weak, brittle, and durable in the soil; the heartwood is dull orange-brown. It is used for posts and crossties. The bark of the roots yields the very aromatic oil of sassafras much used for flavoring candies and various commercial products. The bark of the root is sold in small bundles for making sassafras tea.

WITCH-HAZEL
Hamamelis virginiana L.

This tall-growing shrub which has the peculiar habit of blooming in the late fall and ripening its fruit in early spring is native to the extreme eastern portion of Texas, being found on rich soils of streams or along the borders of the forest.

The BARK is smooth, white, gray, and mottled with light brown.

The LEAVES are usually obovate, 3 to 5 inches long, prominently veined, with a wavy margin, very irregular at the base, bright green above and slightly paler below. They are generally smooth.

The odd, yellow FLOWERS are borne in clusters along the branch, with long, very narrow twisted petals. They develop during November, December, and January, the time depending somewhat on the weather, and possess a refreshing fragrance. The FRUIT is a hard, tough, two-celled capsule, with two beaks. It divides in half, each half containing a shiny black seed. In the late summer or early autumn the capsules pop open, discharging the seeds.

The WOOD is hard and close-grained. The trees do not grow large enough to be of commercial value.

An analgesic extract used in lotions and balms is obtained from the inner bark by distillation.

SWEETGUM (Redgum)
Liquidambar styraciflua L.

Sweetgum is a valuable and sometimes troublesome forest tree in East Texas. It occurs on rich river bottoms and in swamps subject to frequent overflow, as well as on the dried uplands, as far west as the San Jacinto River Basin. The BARK is a light gray, roughened by corky scales, later becoming deeply furrowed. After the second year the twigs often develop corky projections of bark, which give them a winged appearance.

The simple, alternate star-shaped LEAF with its 5 to 7 points or lobes, is 5 to 7 inches across and aromatic. In the fall its coloring ranges from pale yellow through orange and red to a deep bronze.

The FLOWERS of both sexes appear on the same tree and open with the leaves. The FRUIT, a head an inch or more in diameter, is made up of many capsules with projecting spines. It hangs on the tree late into the winter.

The WOOD is moderately hard, close-grained, and not durable on exposure. The reddish-brown heartwood, which suggests the name red gum, is not present to any appreciable extent in logs under 16 inches in diameter. The wood is extensively used for flooring, interior finish, paper pulp, and veneers for baskets of all kinds.

In the uplands, this species competes aggressively with the more valuable Southern pines. The control of sweetgum is, therefore, a problem. This attractive species should be more widely planted for ornamental use.

AMERICAN SYCAMORE
Plantanus occidentalis L.

American sycamore, also called planetree and buttonwood, is considered the largest hardwood tree in North America. It occurs throughout eastern Texas to Zavalla County. It is most abundant and reaches its largest size along streams and on rich bottomlands. It grows rapidly and occasionally attains a height of 140 to 170 feet and a diameter of 10 to 11 feet.

The BARK of the sycamore is a characteristic feature; on the younger trunk and large limbs it is smooth, greenish-gray in color. The outer bark of limbs and upper trunk flakes off in large patches and exposes the nearly white younger bark. Near the base of old trees, the bark becomes thick, dark brown and divided by deep furrows.

The LEAVES are simple, alternate, 4 to 7 inches long and about as broad; light green and smooth above, and paler below. The base of the petiole is hollow and in falling off exposes the winter bud. The multiple FRUIT forms a ball about 1 inch in diameter, which hangs on its flexible peduncle—3 to 5 inches long. During early spring the fruit ball breaks up, and the small nutlets are scattered widely by the wind.

The WOOD is hard and moderately strong, but decays rapidly in the ground. It is used for butchers’ blocks, tobacco boxes, furniture, and interior finish.

HAWTHORN (Haw)
Crataegus L.

Hawthorn, as treated here, represents about 30 different species and varieties distributed throughout the state. Members of the group occur on the poorest and richest soils, on the shallowest and deepest, and on the limestone hills as well as on the rich bottom and swamp lands. Most of the forms have a common likeness in possessing thorns and bearing white blossoms and red or yellow fruit. Some species are planted as ornamental trees, but otherwise the group is of little commercial value.

The BARK is generally thin, gray in color, and on the old stems broken up into thin, narrow scales.

The LEAVES are simple, alternate, mostly oval or wedge-shaped, notched on the edges, and usually from 2 to 3 inches long.

The FLOWERS are white, some fragrant and others with a slightly unpleasant odor; they appear in early spring. The FRUIT varies from globular to oblong, from ¼ to ¾ inch in diameter; some when ripe have a pulpy, sweet, edible flesh, surrounding from 1 to 5 bony seeds.

The WOOD is strong, tough, heavy, hard, but rarely used for any purpose.

Many species of birds are attracted to these trees and bushes by the fruit and for the protection offered for nesting. Blueberry hawthorn, C. brachyacanthu, fruit ripens in the late summer and is valuable for deer food. The fruit of most species ripens in the fall, and one or two varieties yield a fruit highly prized for making jelly.

RIVERFLAT HAWTHORN (Mayhew)
Crataegus opaca Hook. and Arn.

This species is a native of East Texas, being found as far west as the Trinity River. It grows along rivers at the edges of swamps and ponds, where water stands a part of the year. These trees often form extensive thickets. The FRUIT of this haw, unlike other Texas haws, matures in late April or May. After the fruit is gone, it is more difficult to distinguish it from other haws. It is of low, spreading habit, sometimes becoming a tree 20 to 30 feet high and about a foot in diameter. It usually bears a few thorns about 1 inch long on branches two years old.

On old trees the BARK is deeply fissured and divided into dark brown, persistent scales. The wood has no commercial value.

The LEAVES are about 2 inches long, pointed, narrowing toward the stem, finely toothed from the middle of the tip, sometimes slightly lobed, dull green, and rather downy beneath.

The FLOWERS appearing in March are the largest of Crataegus, 1 inch in diameter, white, and borne in clusters of only 2 or 3. The FRUIT, an unusually large haw, is sometimes nearly an inch in diameter. When fully ripe, these haws are scarlet, lustrous, mellow, and pleasantly acid. The fruit is gathered in large quantities for making mayhaw jelly.

MEXICAN PLUM
Prunus mexicana S. Wats.

This common wild plum is a small tree reaching 20 to 25 feet in height and 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Uncommonly it attains only large shrub size.

The BARK is dark, varying from gray to nearly black. There are curling scales on young branches but on old trunks the bark becomes rough and deeply furrowed.

The LEAVES, when mature, are alternate, oval, abruptly pointed, finely and doubly toothed along the margin, dark yellow-green, smooth and shiny, thick and firm, 2 to 3 inches long by 1 to 2 inches wide, narrowed or rounded at the base and prominently veined on both surfaces.

The white FLOWERS appear in numerous small clusters in March before the leaves. With a profusion of flowers, this tree is one of the delights of early spring in the woods. The FRUIT, or plum, which ripens in late summer, is dark purple-red color with a bluish “bloom”, about 1¼ inches in diameter, and varies widely in its palatability. The stone is about ¾ inch long, and smooth. The dorsal edge is ridged; the ventral edge grooved.

This species of plum does not sucker to form thickets, is drought resistant, and has been used for grafting stock for the production of commercial plums.

FLATWOODS PLUM (Black Sloe)
Prunus umbellata Ell.

This shrub or small tree with a short, often crooked, or inclining trunk and a flat-topped head and slender branches is rarely over 20 feet high. Branchlets at first covered with a dense, pale pubescence, soon become smooth and bright red during the first year and dull dark brown the second year. It occurs throughout the eastern portion of the state.

BARK ¼ inch thick, dark brown, almost black, and broken diagonally into small, hard, appressed, persistent scales. LEAVES bright bronze-green with red margins and petiole when they unfold; at maturity, usually less than 2½ inches long, ovate-lanceolate to oblong with a rounded or slightly cordate base; leaf thin, dark green above, paler below; usually furnished with two large dark glands at the base; margins finely and sharply serrate with incurved teeth.

Small white FLOWERS appearing in umbels of 3 or 4 flowers before the leaves. Flowers ⅔ inch in diameter. FRUIT a drupe on a stem ½ to 1 inch long, round, ½ inch in diameter, and with a tough, black, yellow, or bright red skin covered with a glaucous bloom, and with thick, acid flesh. Stone flattened, brittle-walled, and wrinkled. Dorsal edge grooved; ventral edge with conspicuous ridge. The fruit is relished by deer.

BLACK CHERRY
Prunus serotina Ehrh.

A medium-sized tree, up to about 70 feet high and 1 to 3 feet in diameter, black cherry is found in eastern Texas and in the mountains of West Texas. The forest-grown trees have long clear trunks with little taper. Open-grown trees have short trunks with many branches and irregular spreading crowns. The BARK on branches and young trunks is smooth and bright reddish-brown, marked by conspicuous, narrow, white, horizontal lines, and has a bitter almond taste. On the older trunks the bark becomes rough and broken into thick, irregular plates.

The LEAVES are alternate, simple, oval to lance-like in shape, 2 to 6 inches long and 1-1½ inches wide, with fine, incurved serrations, shiny above, and paler beneath. Cattle eating wilted leaves may be fatally poisoned.

The FRUIT is a dull purplish-black drupe, about as large as a pea, and is borne in long hanging panicles. The fruit ripens in late summer, is edible though slightly bitter, and is relished by wildlife.

The WOOD is reddish-brown with yellowish sapwood, moderately heavy, hard, strong, fine-grained, and does not warp or split in seasoning. With the exception of black walnut, cherry lumber has a greater unit value than any other hardwood of the eastern United States. Cherry is prized for furniture.

The SOUTHWESTERN BLACK CHERRY, Prunus serotina var. rufula (Woot. and Standl.) McVaugh is found in the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas. At least five other cherry species are native to Texas. All have shrubby growth.

CAROLINA LAURELCHERRY
Prunus caroliniana (Mill.) Ait.

Called by many local names such as cherry laurel, wild peach, and mock orange, this species is native to the eastern portion of the state to the valley of the Guadalupe River, where it is found on deep rich moist bottomlands. It is apparently free from disease and quite adaptable for landscape planting. It is usually a small tree but sometimes reaches a height of 50 to 60 feet and 18 inches in diameter when cultivated. The partially withered leaves and young branches can be fatal to animals browsing upon them, owing to presence of poisonous hydrocyanic acid.

The BARK is rather smooth, gray, and marked by almost black blotches.

The LEAVES are persistent, oblong-lanceolate, with a few tiny sharp teeth along the margins, dark lustrous green above, paler below. They cling until the second year.

The small white FLOWERS come in clusters, in early spring. The FRUIT, a lustrous black drupe, ripens in autumn, and clings until the following spring. The fruit is eaten by some birds.

The WOOD is heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, rich brown in color, with a thick, lighter colored sapwood.

EBONY BLACKBEAD (Texas Ebony)
Pithecellobium flexicaule (Benth.) Coult.