Chapter II: Part 2

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan, Grant, Mercer and other counties southward along the mountains; less common in Barbour, Boone, Fayette, Kanawha, Logan, Monongalia, Randolph, Ritchie, Wayne and Wyoming counties.

=Habitat=.—Prefers light sandy and thin rocky soils; often found on exhausted farm lands.

=Notes=.—This species is most easily confused with yellow pine, but can be distinguished by its uniform 2-leaf clusters, small prickly cones and comparatively smooth bark. The leaves are twisted and divergent, giving the twigs a disheveled appearance. Of little value as a timber tree; wood used chiefly for boxes, crates, fencing, ties, and fuel.

TAMARACK

=Larix laricina=, (DuRoi) Koch.

=Form=.—A tree usually 30-60 feet high, 1-2 feet in diameter; trunk straight, tapering, and having numerous slender, upward-curving branches; crown narrowly pyramidal.

=Leaves=.—Scattered singly or clustered in dense fascicles on short lateral spurs; linear, triangular in cross-section, ¾-1¼ inches long, light green, falling each year in autumn.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; staminate sessile, sub-globose, yellow; pistillate oblong with light-colored bracts and nearly orbicular rose-colored scales.

=Fruit=.—Cones mature autumn of first season; ovoid, obtuse, ½-¾ inch long with few light brown rounded scales.

=Bark=.—Thin, roughened with small rounded red-brown scales.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, slightly resinous, very strong, durable in soil, light brown.

=Range=.—Newfoundland south to Maryland and West Virginia, west to Minnesota and the Rocky Mountains, through British Columbia to Alaska.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A few trees near Cranesville, Preston County, growing in a swamp.

=Habitat=.—Prefers swamps and lake borders, but thrives in many other places.

=Notes=.—Tamarack is our only native cone-bearer with deciduous leaves. This tree has been transplanted in several places in the State where it makes a good appearance on the lawn.

RED SPRUCE

=Picea rubra=, (DuRoi) Deitr.

=Form=.—Height 70-80 feet, diameter 2-3 feet; trunk straight, continuous, free from limbs to a considerable height when in close stands; crown conical; limbs somewhat drooping below, horizontal in the middle, ascending above.

=Leaves=.—Crowded and diverging in all directions from the twig; rounded or acute points, ½-⅝ inch long, dark yellow-green.

=Flowers=.—April-May; monoecious; staminate oval, almost sessile, red; pistillate oblong, with thin rounded scales.

=Fruit=.—Cones ovate-oblong, narrowed from middle to acute apex; 1¼-2 inches long; scales reddish-brown with entire margins.

=Bark=.—Roughened by thin, irregular-shaped brown scales.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, close-grained, not strong, pale in color, with whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—Newfoundland to West Virginia and southward along the Alleghany Mountains to northern Georgia, west to Minnesota.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Growing at high elevation in Grant, Tucker, Randolph, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Webster, Nicholas and Greenbrier counties. Now largely removed by lumbermen.

=Habitat=.—Well-drained uplands; also on mountain tops and occasionally on borders of swamps.

=Notes=.—Since this species is the only native spruce in West Virginia there is no cause for confusing it with anything else. Norway spruce has much larger cones. Originally red spruce was one of our principal lumber trees, but when it is removed there is but little natural reproduction. Often planted for shade. Wood used for construction, musical instruments, furniture, aeroplanes and paper pulp.

HEMLOCK

=Tsuga canadensis=, (L.) Carr.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 2-4 feet; trunk with limbs nearly to the ground when in the open but free from them to a considerable height when in dense stands; slender horizontal branches form a pyramidal crown which is often irregular.

=Leaves=.—Arranged on all sides of the branch, but appearing as if in two ranks, flat, thin, rounded or slightly notched at the tip, about ½ inch long, dark green above, pale beneath.

=Flowers=.—April-May; monoecious; staminate in the axils, globose, yellow; pistillate terminal, pale green, oblong, with broad bracts and short pinkish scales.

=Fruit=.—Cones mature each autumn; borne on slender stalks; ovate, about ¾ of an inch long; scales rounded, about as broad as long; seeds about ⅛ inch long, half as long as their wings.

=Bark=.—With deep fissures on old trunks and prominent rounded ridges; inner bark cinnamon-red.

=Wood=.—Light, medium hard, brittle, coarse-grained, not easily worked, not durable when exposed to the weather; red-brown with lighter sapwood.

=Range=.—Nova Scotia, south to Alabama and west to Minnesota.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in nearly all parts of the State, reaching high elevations in the mountain counties, and confined to ravines and rough stony ground in most of the hilly sections.

=Habitat=.—Prefers damp stony northern exposures, deep stream gorges, river banks, and swamp borders.

=Notes=.—The hemlock ranks as one of the most useful trees. The wood is used for construction, paper pulp, and lath; the bark is used in tanning; and the trees are often planted on lawns and in hedges.

BALSAM FIR

=Abies fraseri=, (Pursh) Poir.

=Form=.—Height 30-70 feet, diameter 1-2½ feet; trunk continuous, tapering; crown pyramidal; rigid horizontal or ascending branches.

=Leaves=.—Linear, arranged around the stem, ½-¾ of an inch long, dark silvery green.

=Flowers=.—Monoecious; staminate yellow with red tinge; pistillate with rounded scales and pale yellow-green bracts.

=Fruit=.—Cones oblong-ovate, about 2½ inches long; width of scales twice their length, dark purple; bracts reflexed covering at maturity about half the scale.

=Bark=.—Roughened by cinnamon or gray scales.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, not strong, coarse-grained, pale brown with whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—From Virginia and West Virginia south to North Carolina and Tennessee.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Growing near Cheat Bridge, Randolph County; on the head of the Greenbrier River, Pocahontas County; and near the head of Blackwater fork of Cheat River in Tucker County.

=Habitat=.—Grows at high elevations and seems to prefer swampy soil in West Virginia.

=Notes=.—This species, which reaches the northern limit of its restricted range in Tucker County, is not commercially important. The trunks are occasionally sawed into lumber, and the tree has been widely transplanted on lawns.

ARBOR VITAE

=Thuja occidentalis=, L.

=Form=.—Height 40-50 feet, diameter 1-2 feet; trunk often divided; crown compact, pyramidal.

=Leaves=.—In 4 ranks on the stems, scale-like, ⅛-¼ inch long, longest and long-pointed on leading shoots, yellow-green, aromatic.

=Flowers=.—April-May; monoecious; staminate round, small, yellow; pistillate larger, oblong, reddish.

=Fruit=.—Cones maturing in early Autumn, oblong, about ½ inch long, reddish-brown, and persisting through the following winter.

=Bark=.—On trunk reddish-brown, slightly furrowed, and separating in ragged and twisted strips.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, brittle, durable, fragrant, yellowish-brown; sapwood whitish and thin.

=Range=.—Labrador, Manitoba and Minnesota, southward along the mountains to North Carolina.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Small trees on the South Branch of the Potomac River and on the North Fork of the South Branch in Pendleton County. Reported from Grant and Mineral counties.

=Habitat=.—River banks, swamps, rocky hillsides.

=Notes=.—This tree, often called white cedar, is so rare in West Virginia, and of so small a size that it has but little value, except from the standpoint of the botanist. It is commonly planted throughout the State for hedges and other ornamental purposes.

RED CEDAR

=Juniperus virginiana=, L.

=Form=.—Height 30-40 feet, diameter 1-2 feet; crown pyramidal or rounded, often irregular, dense.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, of two kinds: (1) scale-like overlapping one-sixteenth inch long, (2) awl-shaped, ¼-½ inch long, less common than the other form.

=Flowers=.—April-May; dioecious, or occasionally monoecious; in small lateral catkins.

=Fruit=.—A berry-like strobile, maturing in autumn, about ¼ inch in diameter, dark blue with white bloom, sweet and resinous.

=Bark=.—Thin, peeling off in long strips, reddish-brown.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, fragrant, close-grained, very durable, red, with whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—Nova Scotia and Ontario, south to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Occasionally found in Randolph, Tucker, Upshur, Pocahontas, Webster, Barbour, Harrison, Taylor, Lewis, and in the mountainous parts of Nicholas, Greenbrier, Grant, Preston and Monongalia counties. A scattered growth throughout the western and southern hilly counties. Plentiful in Jefferson, Berkeley, Morgan, Hampshire, and in parts of Gilmer, Calhoun and Putnam counties.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rough limestone soils and dry hillsides, but grows in a variety of soils and situations.

=Notes=.—This species is valued on account of its durable wood and attractive appearance. During the past two or three years many red cedars have been destroyed in the eastern section of the State in order to stamp out apple rust which exists in one of its stages upon this tree.

BLACK WILLOW

=Salix nigra=, Marsh.

=Form=.—Height 30-50 feet, diameter 1-2 feet; trunk often crooked or leaning; crown open with long straggling limbs.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, narrowly lanceolate, taper-pointed, margins finely serrate, 3-6 inches long, ¼-¾ inch broad; large semicordate stipules.

=Flowers=.—March-April, before the leaves; dioecious; both kinds of flowers borne in slender, hairy catkins, 1-3 inches long; calyx and corolla wanting; scales yellow, with 3-6 stamens.

=Fruit=.—A capsule ⅛ inch long, early splitting open and liberating the hairy seeds which are carried about by the wind.

=Bark=.—On twigs reddish-brown; on old trunks thick, and rough with many broad connecting ridges, often becoming shaggy.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, brittle, not durable, very dark colored with light sapwood.

=Range=.—New Brunswick south to Florida, west to Dakota, Arizona and central California.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common tree along streams in nearly all parts of the State.

=Habitat=.—Banks of streams and pond borders.

=Notes=.—This is the commonest and most easily recognized of the willows. Its greatest value in West Virginia is probably the part it plays in holding stream banks in place. The wood is sometimes used for fuel and charcoal.

AMERICAN ASPEN

=Populus tremuloides=, Michx.

=Form=.—Height 30-40 feet, diameter 10-20 inches; trunk usually continuous, supporting a rounded loose crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 1½-2 inches long, roundish, heart-shaped, thin, margins finely serrate; petioles long and slender, permitting the leaves to tremble with the slightest breeze.

=Flowers=.—April, before the leaves; dioecious; both kinds of flowers on drooping aments.

=Fruit=.—A 2-valved capsule ¼ inch long; seeds brown, with long, white hairs.

=Bark=.—Smooth, greenish, sometimes with raised, warty bands and dark blotches below the bases of limbs.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, not strong nor durable, brownish with lighter sapwood.

=Range=.—Alaska to Newfoundland south to Pennsylvania and along the mountains to Kentucky, west to California and Mexico; the widest range of any North American species.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Small trees found growing sparingly in the mountain counties; observed in Randolph, Pocahontas, Pendleton, Grant, Tucker, Preston and Upshur counties. Reported from Calhoun, Gilmer, Monongalia, Mason, Summers and Wirt counties.

=Habitat=.—Prefers sandy and gravelly soils, but thrives on others; frequent in high cut-over areas which have been burned.

=Notes=.—This tree, which is locally known as Quaking Asp, can be distinguished from the other poplars by its finely-toothed tremulous leaves. The species is not important in West Virginia, and is seldom used for any purpose.

LARGE-TOOTHED POPLAR

=Populus grandidentata=, Michx.

=Form=.—Height 30-60 feet, diameter 1-2 feet; trunk continuous, tapering; slender ascending branches forming a somewhat loose oval crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, round-ovate, coarsely sinuate-toothed, thin, dark green above, paler beneath, smooth; petioles long, slender, laterally flattened.

=Flowers=.—April-May, before the leaves; dioecious; staminate in short catkins; pistillate in elongating looser catkins.

=Fruit=.—Two-halved, cone-shaped, hairy capsules ⅛ inch long on drooping catkins; seeds brown, small, with long white hairs.

=Bark=.—Smooth except near the base, gray-green, resembling that of American Aspen, but with more yellowish or buff color on young trunks and limbs.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, not strong, light brown with almost white sapwood.

=Range=.—Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Minnesota to Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Delaware; southward along the Alleghanies to North Carolina.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Not common. Found in the following localities: Webster, on Elk Mountain; Randolph, Horton and Gandy Creek; Tucker, near Davis; Monongalia, Deckers Creek; Tyler near Middlebourne. Reported from Ohio and Preston counties.

=Habitat=.—Rich, moist, sandy soil.

=Notes=.—This tree can be distinguished by its coarse-toothed leaves. It is comparatively rare and of little importance commercially.

COTTONWOOD

=Populus deltoides=, Marsh.

=Form=.—Height 50-100 feet, diameter 3-5 feet; trunk usually continuous and tapering; horizontal and ascending branches forming a long pyramidal crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, deltoid or broadly ovate, 3-5 inches long, margins coarsely crenate toothed except at base and apex, dark shining green above, paler beneath, petioles 2-3 inches long, laterally flattened.

=Flowers=.—April, before the leaves; dioecious; staminate in short drooping catkins; pistillate in elongating looser catkins.

=Fruit=.—Capsule 2-4-valved on long drooping catkins; brown seeds covered with a dense mat of long white hairs.

=Bark=.—Rough on old trees, with deep fissures and with more or less parallel and connected rounded ridges.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, not easily seasoned, brown with thick whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—Southern Canada to Florida and west to the Rocky Mountains.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Infrequent; South Branch of the Potomac River near Romney, Hampshire County, and near Petersburg, Grant County. Found at a few other points along the Potomac and its tributaries.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich moist soil, along the banks of streams.

=Notes=.—The Cottonwood, commonly known as Carolina Poplar, is the largest of our true poplars. It is rare and of little value where it grows naturally in the State, but is extensively planted as a shade tree. This species is a very rapid grower but otherwise has little to recommend it for ornamental planting.

BUTTERNUT

=Juglans cinerea=, L.

=Form=.—Height 20-60 feet, diameter 2-3 feet; trunk short, dividing into an open, broad crown of large horizontal or ascending branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 15-30 inches long; leaflets 11-17, oblong, acute, 2-3 inches long, finely serrate except at the base, yellow-green, rough above, pubescent beneath; petioles hairy.

=Flowers=.—May, with the first leaves; monoecious; staminate flowers in drooping catkins the pistillate solitary or several on a spike, bracts covered with white or pink glandular hairs; pistils red.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn; solitary or in clusters of 3-5; nut ovate-oblong, deeply furrowed and sculptured into several longitudinal ribs; husk thin, hairy, sticky; kernel sweet, edible, and oily.

=Bark=.—Light gray on twigs, brownish on old trunks; divided by dark fissures into lighter flat-topped ridges. Inner bark bitter, becoming yellow on exposure to the air.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, not strong, coarse-grained, light brown, light colored sapwood.

=Range=.—Southern Canada and Minnesota to Delaware and Arkansas, south in the mountains to Georgia.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common tree, found throughout the State except in the highest mountains and in a few areas south and west, especially in Jackson, Putnam, Mingo, and Wyoming counties. Thrives at higher altitudes than Black Walnut, and grows at 3000 feet, or over, along cold mountain streams and hillsides in Randolph and adjacent counties.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich, moist soil.

=Notes=.—A less common and less valuable tree than its near relative next described.

BLACK WALNUT

=Juglans nigra=, L.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 2-6 feet; trunk usually straight and clean; crown round and very open.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 1-2 feet long, 13-23 leaflets, 3-3½ inches long, 1-1¼ inches broad, sharply serrate, long, sharp-pointed, yellow-green and smooth above, paler and pubescent beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, with half developed leaves; monoecious; staminate flowers in long, greenish, drooping catkins; the pistillate single or several in a spike.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn, nut round, very rough, 1-2 inches in diameter; husk thick, rough; kernel sweet, edible, oily.

=Bark=.—Brownish and hairy on twigs, dark brown on old trunks, with deep furrows and rounded ridges.

=Wood=.—Hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, rich dark brown with light-colored sapwood.

=Range=.—Northern states from Maine to Minnesota and south to Florida.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in all parts of the State, but not found at high elevations. The best stands are now cut out.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich, moist soils, and requires an abundance of light.

=Notes=.—The Black Walnut is classed as one of the most valuable of our trees on account of its superior wood. It is also prized on account of its nuts and is sometimes planted on lawns. Where suitable land is available this rapid-growing species may be profitably planted for commercial purposes.

SHELL-BARK HICKORY

=Carya ovata= (Mill.) K. Koch.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 1-2 feet; trunk in close stands straight and free from branches to a good height; in the open short and bearing a rounded or oblong crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 8-14 inches long; leaflets usually 5, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, serrate, ciliate on the margins, firm, dark yellow-green and glabrous above, paler and nearly glabrous beneath; petioles usually smooth, sometimes hairy.

=Flowers=.—May; monoecious; the staminate in pendulous catkins; the pistillate in 2-5-flowered spikes.

=Fruit=.—Round-oval, nearly smooth, 1-2 inches in diameter; husk thick, splitting freely to the base; nut 4-angled, with a thick or thin wall; kernel sweet and edible.

=Bark=.—Gray; on old trunks very rough, separating into long loose strips which give the trunk its characteristic shaggy appearance.

=Wood=.—Hard, heavy, tough, strong, close-grained, pliable, light brown with nearly white sapwood.

=Range=.—Southern Canada and Minnesota south to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common tree except on the highest mountains. Reported as not plentiful in Wetzel, Roane, Jackson and Summers counties.

=Habitat=.—Thrives best in rich, damp soils, common along streams and on moist hillsides.

=Notes=.—The Shellbark Hickory furnishes much of the valuable wood used where strength and toughness are required. The tree is known best to most people on account of its excellent nuts. It can be profitably grown from seed.

BIG SHELL-BARK HICKORY

=Carya laciniosa=, (Michx. f.) Loud.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 1-2 feet. Similar to that of the smaller shell-bark.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound; leaflets usually 7, sharp-pointed, serrate, dark green and smooth above, paler and covered with soft hairs beneath.

=Flowers=.—Very similar to those of the smaller shell-bark, previously described.

=Fruit=.—Ovoid, with four shallow creases above the middle, 1½-2½ inches in diameter, thick, smooth husk, splitting to the base; nut large, thick-shelled and angled; kernel sweet and edible.

=Bark=.—About the same as that of the smaller shell-bark hickory.

=Wood=.—The wood of this species can hardly be distinguished from that of the shell-bark hickory.

=Range=.—Central New York and Southern Michigan to North Carolina and Arkansas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Not common, found principally near the Ohio River from some distance north of Parkersburg to Kenova. Reported from Harrison, Upshur and Monongalia counties, where possibly the trees have sprung from artificially planted seeds.

=Habitat=.—Rich, damp bottom lands and coves near rivers.

=Notes=.—Too rare to be an important tree in West Virginia. The wood is equal to the best of other species of hickory, but the nuts are rendered less valuable on account of the thickness of their shells.

MOCKERNUT HICKORY

=Carya alba=, (L.) K. Koch.

=Form=.—Height 50-80 feet, diameter 1-2½ feet; trunk in the woods straight and free from limbs for about half its length; crown round or oblong, open.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 8-12 inches long; leaflets 5-7, of varying lengths; oblong to ovate-lanceolate, serrate, lustrous yellow-green above, paler and pubescent beneath; petioles pubescent.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; staminate flowers in pendulous green catkins; the pistillate in 2-5-flowered spikes.

=Fruit=.—Ovoid, 1½-2 inches long; husk thick, splitting nearly to the base; nut indistinctly angled with very hard thick shell and small edible kernel.

=Bark=.—Gray, tight, rough but not shaggy.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, tough, close-grained, elastic, brown with white sapwood.

=Range=.—Massachusetts and Ontario to Nebraska, Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common, especially on the hillsides and ridges east of the Alleghanies. Less frequent and scattered in the central and western counties.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich, well-drained soils of open wooded hillsides.

=Notes=.—This tree has very thick sapwood which is the most valuable part of hickory wood. It is unsurpassed for handle material and other uses where strength and elasticity are desired. The nut kernels are of good quality but are small and hard to get. The pubescent leaf petioles and the thick husks and thick-walled nuts form easy marks for distinguishing this species from the common shell-bark. Big Bud Hickory and White Heart Hickory are other names for this tree.

PIGNUT HICKORY

=Carya glabra=, (Mill.) Spach.

=Form=.—Height 50-80 feet, diameter, 2-3½ feet; trunk usually straight, clean and long; crown rounded or narrowly oblong.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 8-12 inches long; leaflets usually 5-7, oblong to obovate-lanceolate, long taper-pointed, sharply serrate, dark yellow-green and glabrous above, paler beneath, fragrant when crushed.

=Flowers=.—Similar to those of other hickories.

=Fruit=.—Variable in shape, pear-shaped to ovoid, 1-2 inches long; husk thin, splitting half way or more to the base; nut smooth or obscurely angled, thick-walled and enclosing a sweet or slightly bitter kernel.

=Bark=.—Dark gray, roughened by many flat-topped ridges, the outside layers of which sometimes become detached at one end, giving the trunk a somewhat shaggy appearance.

=Wood=.—As in other species of hickory before described.

=Range=.—Maine, Ontario and Minnesota to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in every county, less frequently found at high elevations.

=Habitat=.—Thrives on almost any rich, well-drained soil of ridges and hillsides.

=Notes=.—The abundance of this species in nearly every section of the State makes it one of the most useful hickories, especially for the farmer. Its growth in farm woodlands, as in other places, should be encouraged.

BITTERNUT HICKORY

=Carya cordiformis=, (Wang.) K. Koch.

=Form=.—Height 60-75 feet, diameter 1-2½ feet; trunk long and free from limbs; crown rounded, broadest near the top.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 6-10 inches long; leaflets 7-11, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, taper-pointed, serrate, yellow-green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, monoecious; similar to those of the other hickories.

=Fruit=.—Spherical to obovate; about 1 inch long, coated with a yellow scurfy pubescence; husk thin, splitting half way to the base, sutures winged at the top; nut nearly smooth with a small bitter kernel.

=Bark=.—Not so rough as in other species, but with many narrow connecting ridges.

=Wood=.—Similar to that of other hickories but not so strong and of less fuel value.

=Range=.—Southern Canada and Minnesota to Nebraska, Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Found in scattered growth in nearly all parts of the State.

=Habitat=.—Prefers low ground along streams, but is often seen on higher ground. The name, Swamp Hickory, is not inappropriate.

=Notes=.—Of less value than our other hickories, but of sufficient worth to warrant its propagation in suitable places. This tree can be distinguished by its more numerous leaflets and by its small bitter-kerneled nuts.

HOP HORNBEAM

=Ostrya virginiana=, (Mill.) K. Koch.

=Form=.—A small tree not often exceeding 30 feet in height and 1 foot in diameter; trunk usually straight and bearing a rounded crown of slender branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 3-5 inches long, acute at apex, doubly serrate, thin and tough, smooth above, pale and slightly pubescent beneath.

=Flowers=.—Appear with the leaves, monoecious; staminate flowers in drooping catkins which develop from the wood of the previous summer, usually three in a bunch; pistillate in erect aments; each enclosed in a bladdery bract.

=Fruit=.—Small flat nutlets, enclosed in bracts arranged in pendulous light-green clusters resembling hops.

=Bark=.—Brownish, roughened by narrow ridges with loose flat scales.

=Wood=.—Strong, hard, tough, close-grained, durable, red-brown, with light sapwood.

=Range=.—Cape Breton Island and Minnesota south to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Not common in many sections but scattered locally throughout nearly all parts of the State. Found usually with other species in the rougher, more elevated situations.

=Habitat=.—Rich open woods of slopes and ridges.

=Notes=.—Although this tree has valuable wood it is not sufficiently plentiful nor of such a size as to make it an important species for forestry purposes. It is desirable for parks and lawns. The rough, scaly bark, peculiar fruits, and hard wood are distinguishing marks. Its most common local name is Ironwood.

AMERICAN HORNBEAM

=Carpinus caroliniana=, Walt.

=Form=.—Small tree, usually from 10-25 feet high; trunk short, often leaning, fluted and bearing an irregular crown of slender, often zigzag branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 2-4 inches long, thin, oval, long-pointed, doubly serrate, dull green above, lighter beneath, scarlet and orange in autumn.

=Flowers=.—Appear in April; monoecious; without petals; staminate catkins 1-1½ inches long; the pistillate shorter, with greenish scales and red styles.

=Fruit=.—Small nuts, enclosed in 3-lobed, leafy bracts grouped on a common drooping stem.

=Bark=.—Gray, smooth, thin, tight.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, tough, close-grained, light brown with thick nearly white sapwood.

=Range=.—Northern states to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common throughout the State.

=Habitat=.—Moist soil of stream borders, swamps and hillsides.

=Notes=.—This species, commonly called Water Beech, is of no commercial importance, but is attractive on lawns, especially in autumn, and performs a valuable service in preventing the caving in of stream banks where it grows.

BLACK BIRCH

=Betula lenta=, L.

=Form=.—Height 50-85 feet, diameter 2-4 feet; trunk long and clear in dense growths; crown narrow and open.

=Leaves=.—Alternate in pairs, simple, 3-4 inches long; ovate to oblong, taper pointed, doubly serrate, dull dark green above, paler beneath; petioles short, hairy, grooved above.

=Flowers=.—April, before the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in pendent yellowish catkins; the pistillate in shorter erect catkins.

=Fruit=.—An oblong, cone-shaped strobile, 1-1½ inches long, erect, 3-lobed scales smooth; nutlets small, winged.

=Bark=.—Very dark and broken into thick, irregular ridges and plates; the young and inside bark having a sweet, wintergreen taste.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, close-grained, dark reddish brown, with light sapwood.

=Range=.—Newfoundland to Illinois, Tennessee and Florida.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Scattered locally through nearly all parts of West Virginia.

=Habitat=.—Grows in a variety of soils and exposures, but prefers rich moist woodlands.

=Notes=.—Black Birch is a widely-known tree and is highly valued on account of its wood. The local names, Red Birch and Cherry Birch refer to the appearance of the heartwood and the bark, and Sweet Birch to the flavor of the bark. This tree can be distinguished from Yellow Birch, which it most closely resembles, by its darker-colored bark which does not peel off in loose flakes.

YELLOW BIRCH

=Betula lutea=, Michx.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 2-4 feet; trunk short and usually forking near the base; crown rounded, open.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, solitary or in pairs, simple, 3-4 inches long, acute at apex, doubly serrate, dull green.

=Flowers=.—April; monoecious; staminate flowers in pendent purplish catkins; the pistillate in shorter, erect, greenish catkins.

=Fruit=.—Cone-shaped strobiles, 1 inch long and erect, scales of strobile downy on the back and edges; nut small, about as broad as its wing.

=Bark=.—Silvery yellow-gray, with thin, papery layers separating and often curling at the edges giving the trunk a ragged appearance; slightly aromatic, and bitter. Campers often use the loose outer bark for starting camp fires in wet weather.

=Wood=.—Heavy, strong, hard, close-grained light reddish-brown, with nearly white sapwood.

=Range=.—Newfoundland to Minnesota and south to North Carolina.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Frequent, especially in mountain sections, growing with spruce and hemlock; rare in low hilly parts of the State and in the Eastern Panhandle; found along streams and in other damp situations on the outskirts of its range.

=Habitat=.—Moist fertile uplands and along streams.

=Notes=.—This large birch is associated with other mountain species such as Spruce, Hemlock, Black Cherry, and Black Birch. It furnishes valuable lumber and is a rapid grower. The characteristic appearance of the bark, described above, will prevent the confusion of this tree with its close relative, the Black Birch.

RED BIRCH

=Betula nigra=, L.

=Form=.—Height, 50-90 feet, diameter, 1-3 feet; trunk usually short, dividing into two or three large ascending limbs; crown irregular, oblong.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 1½ to 3 inches long, round-ovate, acute, doubly serrate, sometimes cut or slightly lobed, deep green, pale yellow-green beneath.

=Flowers=.—April, before the leaves; monoecious; staminate formed in the fall and remaining over winter as short aments, usually in clusters of three and elongating in the spring to 2-3 inches; pistillate, short, erect, situated on twigs with the staminate flowers and back of them.

=Fruit=.—Cylindrical strobile, 1-1½ inches long; 3-lobed scales of strobile pubescent; nuts small, hairy, winged.

=Bark=.—On old trunks dark red-brown and rough, with deep furrows and broken ridges; on younger trees, lighter-colored, the outer papery layers separating freely into thin sheets and turning up at the edges.

=Wood=.—Light, rather strong, close-grained, light brown with pale sapwood.

=Range=.—New England, west to Missouri, and south to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Observed growing along the banks of the following rivers: Williams, Gauley, Greenbrier, New, Great Kanawha, Little Coal, Elk, Guyandot, Twelvepole, Big Sandy, Little Kanawha, Potomac, Shenandoah, Great Cacapon.

=Habitat=.—Banks of streams, occasionally on drier ground.

=Notes=.—A common name of this species, River Birch, signifies its preference for river borders as its habitat. While the tree is not important it serves to hold stream banks from falling in and at the same time adds much to the attractiveness of river scenery. The bark and leaves lack the aroma of some of the other birches.

BEECH

=Fagus grandiflora=, Ehr.

=Form=.—Height, 50-100 feet, diameter, 2-3 feet; trunk often long under forest conditions, in the open short; crown narrow or rounded.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, oblong-ovate, acute, coarsely serrate, 3-5 inches long; dark blue green above, light green and very lustrous beneath, petioles short and hairy.

=Flowers=.—April-May; monoecious, staminate flowers in loose, light green globose heads, about 1 inch in diameter and hanging on long, slender peduncles; the pistillate small, 2-flowered, protected by awl-shaped bracts, and with long red stigmas.

=Fruit=.—A prickly bur, bearing 2 or 3 triangular brown nuts about ¾ inch long.

=Bark=.—On the trunk smooth, close, light gray and mottled with darker spots.

=Wood=.—Hard, strong, close-grained, not durable, light red, with yellowish-white sapwood.

=Range=.—Southern Canada and Wisconsin, south to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in nearly all parts of the State; less frequent or rare locally in the Eastern Panhandle and in Summers, Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming counties.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich bottom lands but grows frequently on thin gravelly slopes and flats, sometimes growing at high elevations.

=Notes=.—This is one of the most familiar of our trees, except in a few restricted areas. It is shade-loving, and is a valuable tree in the farmers’ woodland. The wood is used principally for novelty wares, carpenters’ tool handles, clothespins, fuel and charcoal.

CHESTNUT

=Castanea dentata=, (Marsh) Borkh.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 3-5 feet; trunk, in close stands with few low branches and little taper; in the open having a short trunk and rounded crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, oblong-lanceolate, taper-pointed, 6-8 inches long; coarsely serrate with incurved teeth, thin, dull, yellow-green, glabrous.

=Flowers=.—June-July; monoecious, the staminate borne in bunches at intervals on long catkins; the pistillate borne in scattered involucres near the base of the upper catkins.

=Fruit=.—A large prickly bur, opening at its four sutures in early autumn; nuts usually 2-3, compressed, ½-1 inch wide, brown, sweet and edible.

=Bark=.—Moderately rough, with shallow fissures and flat-topped ridges, gray-brown.

=Wood=.—Soft, light, not strong, easily split and worked, coarse-grained, durable, red-brown with light sapwood.

=Range=.—Maine and Michigan southward to Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Abundant in most parts of the State; of best quality along the lower western slopes of the Alleghanies.

=Habitat=.—Thrives in most places in West Virginia, but is less frequently seen on limestone soils and in swampy places.

=Notes=.—The Chestnut tree is prized for its lumber, its nuts, its tannin, and for its numerous uses, especially on the farm. It is a very rapid grower, and sprouts freely from the base of the stump when cut down. A disease known as chestnut blight has entered the State and threatens to exterminate this tree.

CHINQUAPIN

=Castanea pumila=, (L.) Mill.

=Form=.—Height 20-30 feet, diameter 1-2 feet, in West Virginia usually much smaller; trunk short, supporting a rounded crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 2-6 inches long, lanceolate or oblong, narrowed at both ends, coarsely serrate, thick, smooth and yellow-green on the upper surface, paler and covered with a whitish down beneath.

=Flowers=.—May-June; monoecious; staminate flowers in clusters along the catkin; the pistillate borne at the base of the upper catkins in rounded, prickly involucres.

=Fruit=.—Matures in early autumn; bur covered with stiff spines and enclosing usually only one ovoid brown nut which is very sweet and edible.

=Bark=.—On trunk lightly furrowed and with flat ridges broken into light brown, loose plates.

=Wood=.—Light, hard, strong, coarse-grained, brown, with thin hardly distinguishable sapwood.

=Range=.—Pennsylvania and New Jersey south to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Not widely distributed but common in some sections. Observed in the following counties: Mercer, Wyoming, Summers, Fayette, Logan, and Boone. Reported also from Wayne, Monroe, Mingo, Braxton, Gilmer, Pendleton, Greenbrier, Grant and Nicholas counties.

=Habitat=.—Dry slopes and flats and stream borders.

=Notes=.—This species is usually a shrub in West Virginia, often bearing fruit when only a few feet high. Several trees observed south of the Kanawha River were well-formed, 20-25 feet tall, and with straight trunks 6-8 inches in diameter. The Chinquapin is chiefly prized on account of its nuts. It is susceptible to the attack of chestnut blight and may eventually be killed out by this disease.

WHITE OAK

=Quercus alba=, L.

=Form=.—Height 75-100 feet, diameter 3-6 feet; trunk long and free from limbs and with slight taper; crown broad and open with wide-spreading and often twisted branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 5-8 inches long, obovate-oblong, rounded at the apex and with usually 7 rounded lobes with entire edges, bright green above, glaucous beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, when leaves are one-third grown; monoecious; the staminate in long pendulous catkins; the pistillate borne above on short stalks in the leaf axils.

=Fruit=.—Acorns maturing in autumn after flowering; cup with small brown tomentose scales, enclosing about ¼ of the nut; nut ovoid, rounded at apex, light brown, shining; kernel bitter-sweet.

=Bark=.—On old trunks rough with deep fissures, and ridges which are often broken into short flat light gray scales.

=Wood=.—Strong, heavy, close-grained, durable, light reddish brown with thin sapwood.

=Range=.—Maine and Minnesota to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Found in every county and in almost every locality except at high elevations.

=Habitat=.—Grows on many different types of soils and from moist bottom lands to the tops of dry ridges.

=Notes=.—The White Oak ranks as one of the most valuable timber trees. It is known to more persons than any of our other oaks, and is generally praised as a beautiful and useful tree.

POST OAK

=Quercus stellata=, Wang.

=Form=.—Height 50-75 feet, diameter 2-3 feet, trunk usually short; the crown rounded, with spreading branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, about 4-5 inches long, usually with five lobes, the middle pair largest but all short and broad; thick and leathery, nearly smooth above, covered beneath with dense grayish or yellowish stellate pubescence.

=Flowers=.—May; monoecious; the staminate on long drooping catkins; the pistillate short-stalked and woolly, with bright red stigmas.

=Fruit=.—Acorn ripening in autumn after flowers; cup small, thin, hairy inside, scales flat and woolly; nut small, oval ½-¾ inch long, brown, sometimes marked with nearly black longitudinal stripes.

=Bark=.—Similar to that of White Oak, but usually rougher and more yellowish.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, close-grained, durable in contact with the soil, brown with thick sapwood.

=Range=.—New England, where it is a shrub, southward to Florida and Texas, and west to Kansas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Distributed in nearly all the hilly parts of the State, though nowhere very common and in some sections rare.

=Habitat=.—Prefers dry sandy or gravelly soil.

=Notes=.—The Post Oak in winter may easily be mistaken for a White Oak, but in summer and fall the small acorns and the peculiar lobing of the leaves assist the student in distinguishing it from other species. It is not commercially important but should be encouraged to grow on account of the superior lasting qualities of the wood when used for fence posts or otherwise in contact with the soil.

BUR OAK

=Quercus macrocarpa=, Michx.

=Form=.—Height 40-75 feet, diameter 2-4 feet; trunk usually short, bearing a rounded crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 6-12 inches long, wedge-shaped at the base, usually crenate lobed toward the apex with deep sinuses and rounded lobes in the middle; thick and firm, dark green and glossy above, pale pubescence beneath.

=Flowers=.—Similar to the other annual oaks, before described.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn of first season; very large acorn with a deep cup heavily fringed on the rim; nut ovoid, 1-1½ inches long, brown, pubescent, about one-third enclosed in the cup.

=Bark=.—Deeply furrowed and similar to that of White Oak; corky on the twigs.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, durable, brownish, with thin sapwood.

=Range=.—Nova Scotia and Manitoba south to West Virginia and west to Kansas and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Rare. Observed in the following localities: Hardy County, between Romney and Moorefield; Grant County, several trees on Lunice Creek near Petersburg; Morgan County, near Great Cacapon station. Reported from Tyler County.

=Habitat=.—Usually on rich soils near streams.

=Notes=.—This is a very large and valuable oak in Kansas and other states but is too rare to merit much attention in West Virginia. The beautifully-lobed leaves and large acorns will not fail to interest the student of trees.

SWAMP WHITE OAK

=Quercus bicolor=, Willd.

=Form=.—Height 50-75 feet, diameter 2-3 feet; trunk, in the open, usually short, supporting a broad round-topped crown; in close stands the trunk is longer and well-formed; lower branches usually drooping.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 5-7 inches long, 3-5 inches broad, obovate, coarsely sinuate or shallow-lobed, margins thick and firm, smooth and shining above, paler and tomentose beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate on long drooping catkins; the pistillate few-flowered, borne above on relatively long peduncles.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn after the flowers; acorns on pubescent stems 1-4 inches long; cup deeply saucer-shaped, enclosing about one-third of the nut, which is ¾ to 1¼ inches long, chestnut brown, usually hairy at apex.

=Bark=.—Rough on trunks with deep furrows and flat-topped and scaly ridges; on branches soon becoming rough, with scales which often curl back at the edges.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, tough, light brown, with thin and hardly distinguishable sapwood.

=Range=.—Maine, south to Georgia and west to Michigan and Arkansas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Infrequent. Found in the following localities: Grant County, on Lunice Creek; Hardy, near Moorefield; Pocahontas, near Marlinton; Greenbrier, near White Sulphur Springs; Berkeley, on Back Creek; Randolph, near Huttonsville; Upshur, at Lorentz.

=Habitat=.—Borders of swamps and low ground along streams.

=Notes=.—The Swamp White Oak can easily be distinguished from its near relatives; in the winter, by the bark ridges of the small branches and the drooping lower limbs; in the summer and fall by the wavy or sinuate-margined leaves and the long-stemmed acorns. This tree is not considered of much importance in this State.

YELLOW OAK

=Quercus Muhlenbergii=, Engelm.

=Form=.—Height 50-75 feet, diameter 2-3 feet; trunk usually short, sometimes buttressed at the base; crown round-topped with relatively short, ascending branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 4-7 inches long, oblong, tapering at both ends, margins with coarse, sharp-pointed teeth which somewhat resemble those of the Chestnut and Chestnut Oak; bright yellow-green above, pale and pubescent beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in long pendulous catkins; the pistillate in short spikes.

=Fruit=.—Acorns mature in autumn after the flowers; cup enclosing about ½ of the light brown, ¾-inch-long nut; kernel sweet and more edible than that of most other acorns.

=Bark=.—On trunks moderately rough, the light gray ridges broken into scales; resembles the bark of White Oak.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, durable, brown with brownish sapwood.

=Range=.—Vermont and Minnesota south to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Not common. Observed in the following counties: Boone, Doddridge, Fayette, Grant, Hardy, Kanawha, Monongalia, Morgan, Summers and Webster. This tree is more common near Petersburg, Grant County, and on Long Island Creek, Doddridge County, than at any other places where it was found.

=Habitat=.—River banks and limestone hillsides.

=Notes=.—The wood of this oak is inferior to that of some other species and it occurs here too infrequently to be classed as very valuable.

CHESTNUT OAK

=Quercus Prinus=, L.

=Form=.—Height 60-90 feet, diameter 3-5 feet; trunk long but usually more or less bent and often divided, forming a loose, open irregular crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 6-8 inches long, usually obovate, coarsely crenate, firm or leathery, smooth, dark green above, paler and finely pubescent beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate flowers in long catkins; the pistillate in short spikes.

=Fruit=.—Acorns mature in autumn after the flowers; cup thin, deep, enclosing about ½ of the smooth, light brown, oblong-ovoid nut.

=Bark=.—Very rough with deep fissures and long, dark gray, continuous or broken ridges; rich in tannin.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, durable in contact with the soil, dark brown with light sapwood.

=Range=.—Maine to West Virginia and south along the mountains to Georgia and Alabama.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common except at high elevations.

=Habitat=.—Prefers dry gravelly hillsides and ridges.

=Notes=.—The Chestnut Oak is one of our common trees in the hilly sections and can easily be distinguished by its thick, dark-colored bark, crenate-margined leaves and large, deep-cupped acorns. Many of the best stands have been cut for tan bark. Rock Oak is a common name in some localities.

RED OAK

=Quercus rubra=, L.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 2-5 feet; trunk long and free from limbs when standing in close growth, with a narrow or rounded open crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 5-9 inches long, with 5-7 toothed, bristle-tipped lobes, becoming narrower outward from rounded sinuses, thin and firm, smooth, lusterless dark green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate flowers in long hairy catkins, the pistillate on short smooth stalks.

=Fruit=.—Acorns maturing the second autumn after the flowers; cup shallow, saucer-shaped, enclosing only the base of the nut; scales closely-appressed and somewhat glossy; nut oblong-ovoid, 1 inch long; kernel white, bitter.

=Bark=.—Rough with long fissures and flat-topped ridges, gray brown, inner bark light red, not bitter.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, light red-brown.

=Range=.—Southern Canada and Minnesota to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common tree in all parts of the State. Most abundant and of superior size and quality in the high hilly and mountain sections.

=Habitat=.—Rich loamy or gravelly soils of bottom lands, slopes and ridges.

=Notes=.—The Red Oak is most frequently confused with the Black Oak from which it can be distinguished by the light red inner bark, the shallow-cupped acorns and the dull green leaves. This oak is extensively sawed into lumber which is easily worked and capable of a fine finish for furniture and interior work. As a tree for the park or lawn there are few which surpass it.

PIN OAK

=Quercus palustris=, Michx.

=Form=.—Height 50-75 feet, diameter 2-3 feet; trunk usually straight and bearing a conic, well-shaped crown, lower limbs usually drooping and curving upward at the tips.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, much smaller than those of the Red Oak, with 3-7, coarse-toothed, bristle-tipped lobes, with rounded sinuses; dark green and shining above, pale below, and smooth except for bunches of brownish tomentum in the axils of the principal veins.

=Flowers=.—Appear with the leaves; monoecious; staminate flowers in catkins 2-3 inches long; pistillate short-stalked and with red styles.

=Fruit=.—Acorns maturing in autumn of second year after the flowers; cup thin, shallow, about ½ inch across, enclosing about ¼ of the nut; kernel yellowish, bitter.

=Bark=.—Not as rough as that of most of the oaks, but with shallow fissures and broad flat ridges.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, light-brown.

=Range=.—Massachusetts and Michigan to Virginia, Tennessee and Oklahoma.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Not a common tree. Plentiful near Princeton, Mercer County, and less common in Hardy and Morgan counties; doubtless growing locally in most of the counties south of the Great Kanawha River.

=Habitat=.—Prefers low ground along streams and borders of swamps.

=Notes=.—Pin Oak leaves resemble those of Scarlet Oak, but the appearance of the whole tree is quite different from it. The drooping lower branches and the location of the tree most readily distinguish it, and a comparison of its small acorns with the large acorns of the Scarlet Oak will serve to separate the two species. It is unexcelled as a tree for parks where it grows with a straight trunk and beautiful rounded crown.

SCARLET OAK

=Quercus coccinea=, Muench.

=Form=.—Height, 60-80 feet; diameter 2-3 feet; trunk tapering, usually straight; crown open, and narrow when crowded.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 3-6 inches long, usually with 7 lobes which are deeply toothed and bristle-tipped at the apex, and separated by oblique sinuses; thin and firm, bright green above, paler beneath, lustrous on both sides; brilliant scarlet in the fall.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; staminate flowers on long catkins; the pistillate on short stalks in the leaf axils.

=Fruit=.—Acorns mature in second autumn after flowering; cup deep, covering about ½ of the nut, with closely appressed, sharp-pointed scales, somewhat glossy or slightly pubescent, forming a fringe around the edge which is closely appressed to the large ovoid, reddish-brown and sometimes striate nut.

=Bark=.—On trunks resembling that of Red Oak, but with shallower fissures and narrower ridges; inner bark reddish.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, reddish-brown.

=Range=.—Maine to North Carolina and west to Minnesota and Nebraska.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in all parts of the State except at high elevations.

=Habitat=.—Prefers dry sandy soil of hillsides and ridges.

=Notes=.—The wood of Scarlet Oak is of less value than that of several other oaks, but is frequently used for lumber, cross-ties, and other purposes. The tree is desirable for streets or parks and in autumn is especially attractive.

BLACK OAK

=Quercus velutina=, Lam.

=Form=.—Height 50-100 feet, diameter 2-4 feet; trunk long, clear, slightly tapering; crown spreading and rounded.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 5-10 inches long, lobes usually 7, with coarse, bristle-tipped teeth, thick and firm, dark green and shining above, paler beneath; on lower limbs and young trees, often with rounded, mucronate lobes; petioles yellowish.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate flowers in long, hairy catkins; the pistillate on short stalks, reddish.

=Fruit=.—Acorns mature the second autumn after flowering; cup deep, cup-shaped, enclosing about ½ of the nut; scales reddish-brown pubescent, tightly appressed at the base, and loosely over-lapping at the edge forming a fringe-like margin; nut small, light reddish-brown, often pubescent; kernel yellow, bitter.

=Bark=.—Rough with thick cross-fissured ridges, nearly black, inner bark yellow and bitter.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, brown, with thin lighter sapwood.

=Range=.—Northern New England and Ontario, west to Minnesota and Nebraska, south to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common throughout the State except at high elevations.

=Habitat=.—Rich soils of slopes or drier gravelly soils of ridges.

=Notes=.—Black Oak is very common but of less value than several of the other oaks. The lumber is similar to that of Red Oak. For the characteristics which distinguish this oak from the species with which it is most often confused, see “Notes” on Red Oak. Yellow Oak and Black Jack are two local names for this oak in West Virginia.

SPANISH OAK

=Quercus falcata=, Michx.

=Form=.—Height 60-80 feet, diameter 2-3 feet; crown round-topped.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 6-7 inches long; variable in shape, with 3-7 toothed bristle pointed lobes, terminal lobes often elongated and falcate, dark green and lustrous above, paler and downy beneath.

=Flowers=.—April-May, with the leaves; monoecious; staminate flowers in long catkins, the pistillate on short hairy stalks.

=Fruit=.—Acorns mature the second autumn after flowering; cup hemispheric, ½-¾ inch across, reddish-brown inside and with reddish, pale, pubescent scales; nut ½ inch long, ovoid, pale orange-brown.

=Bark=.—On trunks with shallow fissures and brownish scaly ridges.

=Wood=.—Hard, strong, not durable, coarse-grained, reddish with light sapwood.

=Range=.—New Jersey to Florida and west to Missouri and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Confined, as far as known, to a few trees on the north side of Great Kanawha River near Charleston.

=Habitat=.—Dry soil.

=Notes=.—This tree, which is rare in West Virginia, must be listed in the class of unimportant trees. Its wood is comparatively inferior and it is less desirable for ornamental purposes than many other species.

SCRUB OAK

=Quercus ilicifolia=, Wang.

=Form=.—Height 4-20 feet, diameter 2-6 inches; trunk short, branches stiff, contorted forming a flat-topped irregular head.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 2-5 inches long, usually 5-lobed, with shallow sinuses and sharp, bristle-tipped divisions of the lobes; leathery, dark green and lustrous above, coated beneath with a dense white pubescence.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; staminate flowers on long catkins, the pistillate on short tomentose stalks, and with red stigmas.

=Fruit=.—Acorns mature in second autumn after the flowers; cup deep, reddish-brown and soft downy within, with light brown scales, the outer row forming a narrow fringe around the edge; nut ovoid, about half enclosed in the cup; kernel yellow.

=Bark=.—Dark gray and scaly on old trunks.

=Wood=.—Strong, hard, with brown heartwood.

=Range=.—Maine to southern Virginia, west to Ohio.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common along the Alleghany Mountains and in the Eastern Panhandle.

=Habitat=.—Dry soils of slopes and mountain tops.

=Notes=.—This oak is usually a shrub in West Virginia, but it sometimes reaches the form and size of a small tree. In many places it grows in dense thickets covering large areas on mountain sides and flats. The red-brown dry leaves often hang on over winter, giving rise to a common local name, “Red-brush.”

BLACK JACK OAK

=Quercus marilandica=, Muench.

=Form.=—Height 30-50 feet, diameter 12-18 inches; crown narrow and compact with short stout branches.

=Leaves.=—Alternate, simple, 6-7 inches long, nearly as wide as long, rounded and narrow at the base, broadening outward, with about 3 broad and shallow lobes which are dentate; leathery, dark green and lustrous above, paler and often coated with a rusty, scurfy pubescence beneath.

=Flowers.=—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate flowers in long catkins, the pistillate on short pubescent stalks.

=Fruit.=—Acorns mature the second autumn after the flowers; cup deep, covering about ½ of the nut, downy within, scales large, reddish-brown and loose.

=Bark.=—Rough, with deep fissures and dark ridges which are broken into broad angular plates.

=Wood.=—Heavy, hard, strong, dark brown.

=Range.=—New York to Florida and Texas, west to Nebraska.

=Distribution in West Virginia.=—Observed only on the western slope of Blue Ridge Mountains in Jefferson County.

=Habitat.=—Sandy or heavy clay soils.

=Notes.=—The Black Jack Oak is very rare and scrubby in growth in this State. It has no value as a timber tree, but is desirable for ornamental purposes.

LAUREL OAK

=Quercus imbricaria=, Michx.

=Form=.—Height 50-100 feet, diameter 1-3 feet; crown pyramidal or round-topped and open, with drooping lateral branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 4-6 inches long, oblong or lanceolate, margins entire or sometimes undulate, with acute apex, dark green and lustrous above, pale and hairy beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; staminate flowers borne on long catkins; the pistillate on short stalks.

=Fruit=.—Acorns mature the second autumn after the flowers; cup saucer-shaped, brown and glossy inside, with reddish-brown scales, and enclosing about ½ of the ovoid, dark brown, often striate nut.

=Bark=.—With shallow fissures and with ridges having brown scales.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, coarse-grained, reddish-brown.

=Range=.—Pennsylvania to Georgia west to Michigan. Nebraska and Arkansas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Locally distributed in many parts of the State, but nowhere common. Observed in Barbour, Grant, Hardy, Mason, Monongalia, Morgan, and Upshur counties.

=Habitat=.—Prefers bottom lands along streams.

=Notes=.—This oak is unusual in appearance since the leaves are entirely without lobes. It cannot be recommended for forestry purposes.

SLIPPERY ELM

=Ulmus fulva=, Michx.

=Form=.—Height 40-80 feet, diameter 1-2½ feet; trunk usually short and soon branching; crown open and broad.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 5-7 inches long, ovate-oblong, oblique at base, abruptly sharp-pointed apex, margin doubly serrate, rough-hairy on both sides.

=Flowers=.—April, before the leaves; mostly perfect; on short pedicels in crowded branches; corolla absent, calyx green, anthers red, two stigmas purple.

=Fruit=.—Matures in spring a few weeks after the flowers; a one-seeded samara consisting of a small flat seed surrounded by a wing which is nearly circular in outline and smooth, except over the seed cavity.

=Bark=.—Thick, divided by fissures and with large, thick appressed scales, brown tinged with red within, inner bark fragrant, mucilaginous and slippery.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, reddish-brown, with thin sapwood.

=Range=.—Southeastern Canada to Florida, west to North Dakota and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common locally, rare in many sections. Found in the following counties: Barbour, Braxton, Clay, Fayette, Grant, Mingo, Monongalia, Pocahontas, Putnam, Roane, Tyler, Upshur and Wetzel.

=Habitat=.—Fertile, rocky soil.

=Notes=.—The slippery, inner bark, the smooth-margined fruits and the rusty-brown, orbicular, pubescent buds distinguish this from other elms. It is not an important tree for forest planting. It is sometimes called Red Elm.

AMERICAN ELM

=Ulmus americana=, L.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 2-6 feet, sometimes much larger; trunk usually dividing 25-30 feet above the ground; crown varied in form, usually wide-spreading.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 4-6 inches long, oval, coarsely-doubly-serrate, oblique at the base, thick, dark green and rough above, paler and smoother beneath.

=Flowers=.—April, before the leaves, mostly perfect; borne in dense fascicles, corolla absent, calyx 5-9 round-lobed, stamens with red anthers, styles two, green.

=Fruit=.—Matures in spring soon after the flowers; oval samara consisting of a flat seed surrounded by a wing which has a terminal notch and ciliate margin.

=Bark=.—Rough, with deep fissures and scaly ridges, ashy-gray.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, not easily split, light brown.

=Range=.—Newfoundland to the Rocky Mountains and south to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A very common tree, especially at low elevations. Not often found in the counties adjoining the Alleghanies.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich bottom lands.

=Notes=.—The American or White Elm is one of the most valuable and magnificent trees of the United States. Its wood is extensively used where toughness is desired, as in wagon hubs. It grows to a very large size and over a wide range, and is unsurpassed in elegance of form and other characteristics which make it valuable for park and street planting. In low wet grounds it may be grown for forestry purposes.

HACKBERRY

=Celtis occidentalis=, L.

=Form=.—Height 25-80 feet, diameter up to 30 inches; trunk long when in close stands with other trees; crown spreading or round.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, ovate, narrowed to sharp points, rounded oblique base, coarsely serrate, rough above, with prominent veins, light yellow-green. The leaves are soft hairy beneath and pilose above when young.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious, or with some perfect flowers; the staminate on drooping pedicels at base of season’s growth; the pistillate, few-flowered in axils of the upper leaves, greenish and small.

=Fruit=.—Ripens in September, a berry-like drupe, ¼ to ½ inch thick, dark purple, sweet and edible, on slender pedicels, often remaining on the tree during the winter.

=Bark=.—Usually rough with warty projections, light gray.

=Wood=.—Heavy, soft, coarse-grained, yellowish, resembling ash, with light-colored sapwood.

=Range=.—Most of the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in the eastern Panhandle and scattered throughout the State; rare or not occurring in the counties along the Alleghanies and in those adjacent on the west.

=Habitat=.—Grows best on moist, rich land, but is found in a variety of soils.

=Notes=.—Sugar Berry and Hoop Ash are two common local names of this species. In some places along the Ohio River the tree grows to a fairly large size with a long clear trunk; in the eastern part of the State it is usually small and scrubby. The tree is most easily distinguished by its peculiar warty bark and by the witches’ brooms which are usually present. The wood is often sold as Ash and is used for cheap furniture, cooperage, crates, boxes, agricultural implements, etc. The very small shrubby trees found in the Eastern part of the State should probably be classed as Variety _pumila_, Muhl.

RED MULBERRY

=Morus rubra=, L.

=Form=.—Height 15-25 feet, diameter 10-20 inches; trunk usually straight, short, bearing a rounded crown.