FAGACEAE

Beech. White Beech

Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. [Fagus atropunicea (Marsh.) Sudw.] [Fagus ferruginea Ait.] [Fagus americana Sweet]

HABIT.—A beautiful tree, rising commonly to a height of 50-75 feet, with a trunk diameter of 2-4 feet; in the forest, tall and slender, with short branches forming a narrow crown, in the open with a short, thick trunk and numerous slender, spreading branches, forming a broad, compact, rounded crown.

LEAVES.—Alternate, simple, 3-5 inches long, one-half as broad; oblong-ovate, acuminate; coarsely serrate, a vein terminating in each tooth; thin; dark blue-green above, light yellow-green and very lustrous beneath; petioles short, hairy.

FLOWERS.—April-May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in globose heads 1 inch in diameter, on long, slender, hairy peduncles, yellow-green; calyx campanulate, 4-7-lobed, hairy; corolla 0; stamens 8-10; the pistillate on short, hairy peduncles in 2-flowered clusters surrounded by numerous awl-shaped, hairy bracts; calyx urn-shaped, 4-5-lobed; corolla 0; ovary 3-celled; styles 3.

FRUIT.—Ripens in autumn; a prickly bur borne on stout, hairy peduncles, persistent on the branch after the nuts have fallen; nuts usually 3, 3/4 inch long, sharply tetrahedral, brownish; sweet and edible.

WINTER-BUDS.—Nearly 1 inch long, very slender, cylindrical, gradually taper-pointed, brownish, puberulous.

BARK.—Twigs lustrous, olive-green, finally changing through brown to ashy gray; close, smooth, steel-gray on the trunk, often mottled by darker blotches and bands.

WOOD.—Hard, tough, strong, very close-grained, not durable, difficult to season, light or dark red, with thin, whitish sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.—Common in the Lower Peninsula, especially in the northern portions; rare in the Upper Peninsula.

HABITAT.—Prefers deep, rich, well-drained loam, but is found and does well on a great variety of soils.

NOTES.—Hardy throughout its range. Desirable for landscape work because of its clean trunk and limbs, deep shade, and freedom from insect pests. Often suckers from the roots.

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FAGACEAE

Chestnut

Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh. [Castanea vesca, v. americana Michx.] [Castanea sativa, v. americana Sarg.]

HABIT.—A tree 60-80 feet high, forming a short, straight trunk 2-4 feet in diameter, divided not far above the ground into several stout, horizontal limbs and forming a broad, open, rounded crown.

LEAVES.—Alternate, simple, 6-8 inches long, 2-3 inches broad; oblong-lanceolate, long-pointed at the apex; coarsely serrate with stout, incurved, glandular teeth; thin; dull yellow-green above, lighter beneath, glabrous; petioles short, stout, puberulous.

FLOWERS.—June-July, after the leaves; monoecious; the staminate catkins 6-8 inches long, slender, puberulous, bearing 3-7-flowered cymes of yellow-green flowers; calyx 6-cleft, pubescent; stamens 10-20; the androgynous catkins 2-1/2-5 inches long, puberulous, bearing 2-3 prickly involucres of pistillate flowers near their base; calyx campanulate, 6-lobed; styles 6.

FRUIT.—Ripens in autumn; round, thick, prickly burs, about 2 inches in diameter, containing 1-3 nuts; nuts compressed, brownish, coated with whitish down at the apex; sweet and edible.

WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud absent; lateral buds 1/4 inch long, ovoid, acute, brownish.

BARK.—Twigs lustrous, yellow-green, becoming olive-green and finally dark brown; old trunks gray-brown, with shallow fissures and broad, flat ridges.

WOOD.—Light, soft, coarse-grained, weak, easily split, very durable in contact with the soil, red-brown, with very thin, lighter colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.—South-eastern Michigan, as far north as St. Clair County. Abundant in eastern Monroe County and Wayne County.

HABITAT.—Pastures; hillsides; glacial drift; well-drained, gravelly or rocky soil.

NOTES.—A rapid grower and living to a great age. Difficult to transplant. Subject to a disease which threatens extermination in this country.

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SUMMER KEY TO THE SPECIES OF QUERCUS

a.	Leaves deeply cut or lobed.
	b.	Leaf-lobes acute, bristle-tipped; fruit maturing in the second season.
		c.	Lower surface of leaves more or less pubescent,
			d.	Leaf-lobes usually 7; buds hoary-tomentose; bark of trunk deeply furrowed and scaly; inner bark yellow; cup-scales of acorn hoary-pubescent; nut ovoid; large tree, common in Michigan		Q. velutina,p.117.
dd.				Leaf-lobes usually 3 (at apex of the leaf only); buds rusty-hairy; bark of trunk divided into nearly square plates; inner bark not yellow; cup-scales of acorn rusty-tomentose; nut subglobose; shrubby tree, rare in Michigan		Q.marilandica,p.119.
cc.			Lower surface of leaves glabrous or nearly so.
d.				Cup of acorn top-shaped or cup-shaped, inclosing one-third to one-half of the nut.
				e.	Kernel of nut yellow; buds glabrous, lustrous, slightly angular; inner bark of trunk yellow; trunk provided with pins or stubs of dead branches near the ground	Q. ellipsoidalis,p.115.
ee.					Kernel of nut whitish; buds pubescent above the middle, not angular; inner bark of trunk red; trunk not provided with pins or stubs of branches near the ground	Q. coccinea,p.113.
dd.				Cup of acorn saucer-shaped, inclosing only the base of the nut.
e.					Upper surface of leaves usually lustrous, especially on the lower branches; lowermost branches of trees growing in the open drooping nearly to the ground; nut about 1/2 inch long.	Q. palustris,p.111.
ee.					Upper surface of leaves usually dull; lowermost branches of trees growing in the open not drooping; nut about 1 inch long	Q. rubra,p.109.
bb.		Leaf-lobes rounded, not bristle-tipped; fruit maturing in the first season.
c.			Leaves cut nearly to the midrib by a pair of deep sinuses near the middle of the leaf; branches corky-ridged; nut 1/2-1-1/2 inches long, deeply seated in a large, conspicuously fringed			Q. macrocarpa,p.103.
cc.			Leaves not cut by a pair of deep sinuses; branches not corky-ridged; nut about 3/4 inch long, about one-fourth covered by a thin, tomentose, warty cup			Q. alba,p.101.
aa.	Leaves not deeply cut nor lobed.
b.		Margin of leaf entire to sinuate-crenate, but not toothed; acorns on stalks 1/2-4 inches long.
c.			Margin of leaf entire, or only slightly undulate; acorns on peduncles 1/2 inch long, the nut about 1/2 inch long; bark on branches not breaking into large, papery scales			Q. imbricaria,p.121.
cc.			Margin of leaf sinuate-crenate, rarely lobed; acorns on stems 1-4 inches long, the nut about 1 inch long; bark on branches breaking into large, papery scales which curl back			Q. bicolor,p.105.
bb.		Margin of leaf coarsely toothed; acorns sessile or on stalks less than 1/2 inch long				Q.muhlenbergii,p.107.

WINTER KEY TO THE SPECIES OF QUERCUS

a.	Terminal buds usually about 1/8 inch long.
	b.	Twigs thick-tomentose; entire bud pale-pubescent; branches corky-ridged; cup of acorn conspicuously fringed at the rim.				[1]G Q. macrocarpa,p.103.
bb.		Twigs glabrous; buds glabrous, or only slightly or partially pubescent; branches without corky ridges; cup of acorn not conspicuously fringed at the rim.
		c.	Bark on branches breaking into large, papery scales which curl back; buds pilose above the middle; acorns on pubescent stems 1-4 inches long.			[1] Q. bicolor,p.105.
cc.			Bark on branches not breaking into large, papery scales; buds glabrous; acorns sessile or very short-stalked.
			d.	Bark of trunk ash-gray or nearly white, flaky; acorns maturing in autumn of first season; kernel of nut sweet.
				e.	Buds conical, acute; bud-scales scarious on the margins; nut white-downy at the apex.	[1]Q.muhlenbergii,p.107.
ee.					Buds broadly ovoid, obtuse; bud-scales not scarious on the margins; nut not white-downy at the apex.	[1] Q. alba,p.101.
dd.				Bark of trunk light to dark brown, smoothish or only slightly fissured; acorns maturing in autumn of second season; kernel of nut bitter.
e.					Lateral buds widely divergent; bud-scales scarious on the margins; lowermost branches of trees growing in the open not drooping nearly to the ground.	[2] Q. imbricaria,p.121.
ee.					Lateral buds more or less appressed; bud-scales not scarious on the margins; lowermost branches of trees growing in the open drooping nearly to the ground.	[2] Q. palustris,p.111.
aa.	Terminal buds usually about 1/4 inch long (slightly smaller in Q. ellipsoidalis).
b.		Buds conspicuously hairy or tomentose.
c.			Buds rusty-hairy, acute at the apex; cup-scales of acorn rusty-tomentose; inner bark of trunk not yellow; shrubby tree, rare in Michigan.			[2] Q. marilandica,p.119.
cc.			Buds hoary-tomentose, obtuse at the apex; cup-scales of acorn hoary-pubescent; inner bark of trunk yellow; large tree, common in Michigan.			[2] Q. velutina,p.117.
bb.		Buds glabrous, or pubescent only above the middle.
c.			Buds strictly glabrous throughout, lustrous; inner bark of trunk yellow or whitish.
d.				Buds obtuse at the apex; trunk provided with pins or stubs of dead branches near the ground; inner bark of trunk yellow; nut 1/2-3/4 inch long, inclosed for one-third to one-half of its length in a top-shaped cup; kernel of nut yellow.		[2] Q. ellipsoidalis,p.115.
dd.				Buds acute at the apex; trunk not provided with pins or stubs of branches near the ground; inner bark of trunk whitish; nut about 1 inch long, inclosed only at the base by a shallow, saucer-shaped cup; kernel of nut white.		[2] Q. rubra,p.109.
cc.			Buds pale-pubescent above the middle, but usually glabrous below, not lustrous; inner bark of trunk red.			[2] Q. coccinea,p.113.

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FAGACEAE

White Oak

Quercus alba L.

HABIT.—A large tree 60-80 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-4 feet; forming a short, thick trunk with stout, horizontal, far-reaching limbs, more or less gnarled and twisted in old age, and a broad, open crown.

LEAVES.—Alternate, simple, 5-9 inches long, about one-half as broad; obovate to oblong; 5-9-lobed, some with broad lobes and shallow sinuses, others with narrow lobes and deep, narrow sinuses, the lobes usually entire; thin and firm; glabrous, bright green above, pale or glaucous beneath; often persistent on the tree through the winter.

FLOWERS.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in hairy catkins 2-3 inches long; the pistillate sessile or short-peduncled, reddish, tomentose; calyx campanulate, 6-8-lobed, yellow, hairy; corolla 0; stamens 6-8, with yellow anthers; stigmas red.

FRUIT.—Autumn of first season; sessile or short-stalked acorns; cup with small, brown-tomentose scales, inclosing one-fourth of the nut; nut oblong-ovoid, rounded at the apex, about 3/4 inch long, light brown; kernel sweet and edible.

WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud 1/8 inch long, broadly ovoid, obtuse; scales smooth, dark red-brown.

BARK.—Twigs at first bright green, tomentose, later reddish, and finally ashy gray; thick, light gray or whitish on old trunks, shallowly fissured into broad, flat ridges.

WOOD.—Very heavy, strong, hard, tough, close-grained, durable, light brown, with thin, light brown sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.—Rare in the Upper Peninsula, common in the Lower Peninsula, especially in the lower half.

HABITAT.—Grows well in all but very wet soils, in all open exposures.

NOTES.—Slow and even of growth. Difficult to transplant.

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FAGACEAE

Bur Oak

Quercus macrocarpa Michx.

HABIT.—A large tree 60-80 feet high, with a trunk 2-4 feet in diameter; great, spreading branches form a broad, rugged crown.

LEAVES.—Alternate, simple, 6-10 inches long and one-half as broad; obovate to oblong, wedge-shaped at the base; crenately lobed, usually cut nearly to the midrib by two opposite sinuses near the middle; thick and firm; dark green and shining above, pale-pubescent beneath; petioles short, stout.

FLOWERS.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in slender, hairy catkins 4-6 inches long; the pistillate sessile or short-stalked, reddish, tomentose; calyx 4-6-lobed, yellow-green, downy; corolla 0; stamens 4-6, with yellow anthers; stigmas bright red.

FRUIT.—Autumn of first season; sessile or short-stalked acorns; very variable in size and shape; cup typically deep, cup-shaped, tomentose, fringed at the rim, inclosing one-third or all of the nut; nut broad-ovoid, 1/2-1-1/2 inches long, brownish, pubescent; kernel white, sweet and edible.

WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud 1/8 inch long, broadly ovoid or conical, red-brown, pale-pubescent.

BARK.—Twigs yellow-brown, thick-tomentose, becoming ash-gray or brownish; branches with corky ridges; thick and gray-brown on the trunk, deeply furrowed.

WOOD.—Heavy, hard, strong, tough, close-grained, very durable, brownish, with thin, pale sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.—Common throughout both peninsulas.

HABITAT.—Prefers rich, moist soil; bottom-lands; but is tolerant of many soils.

NOTES.—Rather slow of growth. Difficult to transplant.

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FAGACEAE

Swamp White Oak. Swamp Oak

Quercus bicolor Willd. [Quercus platanoides (Lam.) Sudw.]

HABIT.—A large tree 50-70 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-3 feet; forming a rather open, rugged crown of tortuous, pendulous branches and short, stiff, bushy spray.

LEAVES.—Alternate, simple, 5-7 inches long, 3-5 inches broad; obovate to oblong-obovate; coarsely sinuate-crenate or shallow-lobed; thick and firm; dark green and shining above, whitish and more or less tomentose beneath; petioles stout, about 1/2 inch long.

FLOWERS.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in hairy catkins 3-4 inches long; the pistillate tomentose, on long, tomentose peduncles, in few-flowered spikes; calyx deeply 5-9-lobed, yellow-green, hairy; corolla 0; stamens 5-8, with yellow anthers; stigmas bright red.

FRUIT.—Autumn of first season; acorns on pubescent stems 1-4 inches long, usually in pairs; cup cup-shaped, with scales somewhat loose (rim often fringed), inclosing one-third of the nut; nut ovoid, light brown, pubescent at the apex, about 1 inch long; kernel white, sweet, edible.

WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud 1/8 inch long, broadly ovoid to globose, obtuse; scales light brown, pilose above the middle.

BARK.—Twigs at first lustrous, green, becoming red-brown, finally dark brown and separating into large, papery scales which curl back; thick, gray-brown on the trunk, deeply fissured into broad, flat, scaly ridges.

WOOD.—Heavy, hard, strong, tough, coarse-grained, light brown, with thin, indistinguishable sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.—Southern half of Lower Peninsula.

HABITAT.—Prefers moist, rich soil bordering swamps and along streams.

NOTES.—Fairly rapid in growth and reasonably easy to transplant.

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FAGACEAE

Chinquapin Oak. Chestnut Oak. Yellow Oak

Quercus muhlenbergii Engelm. [Quercus acuminata (Michx.) Houba]

HABIT.—A medium-sized tree 40-50 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-3 feet; erect, somewhat short branches form a narrow, rounded crown.

LEAVES.—Alternate, simple, 4-7 inches long, 1-4 inches broad; oblong-lanceolate to obovate; coarsely toothed; thick and firm; lustrous, yellow-green above, pale-pubescent beneath; petioles slender, about 1 inch long.

FLOWERS.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in hairy catkins 3-4 inches long; the pistillate sessile or in short spikes, hoary-tomentose; calyx campanulate, 5-8-lobed, yellow, hairy; corolla 0; stamens 5-8, with yellow anthers; stigmas red.

FRUIT.—Autumn of first season; sessile or short-stalked acorns; cup with small scales, hoary-tomentose, inclosing one-half of the nut; nut ovoid, about 3/4 inch long, light brown; kernel sweet, sometimes edible.

WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud 1/8 inch long, conical, acute; scales chestnut-brown, scarious on the margin.

BARK.—Twigs greenish at first, becoming gray-brown, finally gray or brown; thin, silvery gray or ash colored and flaky on the trunk.

WOOD.—Heavy, very hard, strong, close-grained, durable, dark brown, with thin, pale brown sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.—Confined to the southern half of the Lower Peninsula.

HABITAT.—Prefers a limestone soil; dry hillsides; rich bottom-lands; rocky river-banks.

NOTES.—Grows uniformly until maturity. Leaves resemble those of the Chestnut. A form which differs from the type in having broader, obovate leaves broadest above the middle and a flaky bark has been described and named Quercus Alexanderi Britton.

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FAGACEAE

Red Oak

Quercus rubra L.

HABIT.—A large tree 70-80 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-4 feet; forming a broad, rounded crown of a few large, wide-spreading branches and slender branchlets.

LEAVES.—Alternate, simple, 5-9 inches long, 4-6 inches broad; oval to obovate; 5-11-lobed with coarse-toothed, bristle-tipped lobes tapering from broad bases and wide, oblique, rounded sinuses; thin and firm; dull dark green above, paler beneath; petioles stout, 1-2 inches long.

FLOWERS.—April-May, when the leaves are half grown; monoecious; the staminate in hairy catkins 4-5 inches long; the pistillate on short, glabrous peduncles; calyx 4-5-lobed, greenish; corolla 0; stamens 4-5, with yellow anthers; stigmas long, spreading, bright green.

FRUIT.—Autumn of second season; sessile or short-stalked acorns; cup shallow, saucer-shaped, inclosing only the base of the nut; scales closely appressed, more or less glossy, puberulous, bright red-brown; nut oblong-ovoid with a broad base, about 1 inch long, red-brown; kernel white, very bitter.

WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud 1/4 inch long, ovoid, acute, light brown, smooth.

BARK.—Twigs lustrous, green, becoming reddish, finally dark brown; young trunks smooth, gray-brown; old trunks darker, shallowly fissured into thin, firm, broad ridges; inner bark light red, not bitter.

WOOD.—Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, light red-brown, with thin, darker colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.—Southern portion of Lower Peninsula as far north as Roscommon County.

HABITAT.—Prefers rich, moist loam; glacial drift; stream-banks. Grows well in all well-drained soils.

NOTES.—Grows rapidly. A good street tree.

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FAGACEAE

Pin Oak

Quercus palustris Muench.

HABIT.—A medium-sized tree 40-50 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-2 feet; forming an oblong or pyramidal crown of many upright, spreading branches, the lowermost drooping nearly to the ground.

LEAVES.—Alternate, simple, 4-6 inches long, 2-4 inches broad; obovate to ovate; 5-7-lobed by deep, wide, rounded sinuses, the lobes few-toothed, bristle-tipped; thin and firm; very lustrous, dark green above, paler beneath; petioles slender.

FLOWERS.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in hairy catkins 2-4 inches long; the pistillate tomentose, borne on short, tomentose peduncles; calyx 4-5-lobed, hairy; corolla 0; stamens 4-5, with yellow anthers; stigmas recurved, bright red.

FRUIT.—Autumn of second season; sessile or short-stalked acorns; cup saucer-shaped with scales closely appressed, dark red-brown, inclosing only the base of the nut; nut nearly hemi-spherical, about 1/2 inch in diameter, light brown; kernel bitter.

WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud 1/8 inch long, ovoid or conical, acute, light brown, smooth.

BARK.—Twigs dark red and tomentose at first, becoming lustrous, green, finally gray-brown; thick, gray-brown and smoothish on the trunk.

WOOD.—Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, light brown, with thin, darker colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.—Confined to the most southern portions of the Lower Peninsula.

HABITAT.—Prefers moist, rich soil; river-bottoms; borders of swamps.

NOTES.—Grows rapidly and uniformly. Easily transplanted. The tiny branchlets at a distance give the impression of the tree being full of pins.

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FAGACEAE

Scarlet Oak

Quercus coccinea Muench.

HABIT.—A tree 40-50 feet high and 12-15 inches in trunk diameter; long, slender branches form a rather open, rounded crown.

LEAVES.—Alternate, simple, 3-6 inches long and nearly as broad; broadly obovate to oval; 5-9-lobed by deep, wide, rounded sinuses, the lobes toothed and bristle-tipped; thin and firm; shining, bright green above, paler beneath, both sides glabrous; turning brilliant scarlet in autumn; petioles slender, 1-2 inches long.

FLOWERS.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in glabrous catkins 3-4 inches long; the pistillate on pubescent peduncles 1/2 inch long, bright red, pubescent; calyx 4-5-lobed, reddish, pubescent; corolla 0; stamens usually 4, with yellow anthers; stigmas long, spreading, bright red.

FRUIT.—Autumn of second season; sessile or short-stalked acorns; cup top-shaped to cup-shaped, with closely imbricated, slightly puberulous, red-brown scales, inclosing about one-half of the nut; nut usually short-ovoid, 1/2-3/4 inch long, light red-brown; kernel whitish, bitter.

WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud about 1/4 inch long, broadly ovoid, acute, dark red-brown, pale-pubescent above the middle.

BARK.—Twigs at first scurfy-pubescent, later lustrous, green, finally smooth, light brown; thick, dark gray or brown on old trunks, shallowly fissured, scaly; inner bark red, not bitter.

WOOD.—Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, light red-brown, with thick, darker brown sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.—Lower Peninsula, southern half.

HABITAT.—Prefers a light, dry, sandy soil.

NOTES.—Rapid of growth. Desirable for ornamental planting.

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Hill’s Oak. Northern Pin Oak. Black Oak

Hill’s Oak. Northern Pin Oak. Black Oak