Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Identify types of oak trees
• Method 2 of 4: Identify oak leaves
• Method 3 of 4: Identify acorns
• Method 4 of 4: Identify oak wood and bark

There are hundreds of types of oak in different areas of the world. This popular tree has been a valuable source of shade and beauty for centuries, and is still a beloved tree in today's landscapes. In order to accurately identify oak trees, it is important to research some of the key features that make these trees unique and beautiful.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Identify types of oak trees

1. Behold the size of the oak family. There are about 600 individual species in the genus quercus (oak) - most of them are trees, and a few shrubs. Some of them are deciduous, some evergreen, some semi-evergreen.
   • Oak trees are mostly native to the forests of the Northern Hemisphere, but there are strong differences, from the cold and temperate forests of North America and Europe to the tropical jungles of Asia and Central America.
   • Some oak trees are evergreen (especially certain American species) and are usually called "live oak" (Quercus virginiana). Within this group are several species with an evergreen growth pattern, and it does not reflect any of the taxonomic classifications - in some cases these species are only distantly related. So, evergreen oaks can be thought of as a type of oak, but only as an evergreen oak variety.
2. Understand which oak species grow in your area. Find an illustrated field determination guide to take to the forest; photos are a great help in naming the specific oak species.
   • In North America, oaks are split into two main groups: "red oak" and "white oak". Red oak trees often have darker bark and lobed leaves that reach a point; white oaks often have a lighter bark and leaves with rounded lobes.
   • Common 'white oak' varieties are chinkapin (often in limestone-rich areas), live oak, blackjack (on dry mountain ridges), shingle (on damp slopes), swamp chestnut (in wetlands), white oak (in various ecosystems ), white oak swamp (in wetlands), and overcup oak (Quercus lyrata; found on river banks in wetlands).
   • Common 'red oak' species include water oak (near stream banks and lowlands), northern red oak (in various habitats), southern red oak (on moist and dry slopes), scarlet oak (on dry slopes), willow oak (on damp slopes), pin oak (in wet areas), and cherrybark oak (near damp slopes and lowlands).

Method 2 of 4: Identify oak leaves

1. Learn how to recognize oak leaves. Notice a "lobe and sinus" pattern on the oak leaves - the blades of the leaf and the valleys between them.
   • The lobes of the leaf are the rounded and pointed protrusions that give the leaf its shape. Think of these lobes as "leaf fingers," or extensions of the stem. Different types of oak have pointed or rounded lobes. Red oak leaves often have pointed lobes, and white oak leaves more rounded lobes.
   • Between each lobe is a sinus, or notch in the leaf that accentuates the lobes. Sinuses can differ in depth and width, and can therefore be shallow or narrow.
2. Look closely at the sheet. The shape of the leaves of one oak tree can already differ from each other. You may need to look at some leaves to do an accurate classification.
   • If you can't figure out the type of oak from the leaves on your own, you can include other characteristics such as the acorn, bark and location - both in terms of terrain and geographic location.
   • Oak leaves grow in a spiral pattern along the branch, which means that a fan of leaves will rarely look "flat" or parallel, the way palm leaves grow.
   • Oak branches tend to deviate from a straight line, and they have no growth on either side of the branches: Imagine looking at a fork with multiple branches sprouting from the same point.
3. Look for green leaves in the summer, red leaves in the fall, and brown leaves in the winter. Most oak leaves have a lush, deep green hue during the summer months, but transform to reds and browns for fall.
   • The oak is one of the most colorful trees during the fall, which is another reason why they are a popular sight in the modern landscape. Some oak leaves also take on a red or pink hue in early spring, but this quickly changes to the standard green color in summer.
   • Oaks tend to lose their leaves late in the season, and younger trees or branches will hold their dead brown leaves all the way into spring. The leaves don't let go until new leaves start to grow in the spring.
   • A clear characteristic of an oak tree in winter are the dead, brown leaves. Oak leaves decay less quickly and stay on the trees longer than most other leaves. You will usually find them at the base of an oak tree, but keep in mind that leaves can blow off their spot on a windy day.
4. Look at the fall foliage to distinguish between red and white oak trees.
   • White oak species can bear reddish-brown leaves in the fall, while red oak trees often show the most dramatic fall foliage. Red oak leaves take on a deep red color that boldly stands out in the late fall forest.
   • Red oak trees are often confused with maples. Maples show their fall colors earlier in the season, and usually have depleted their pigment by the time the oak leaves are in full growth. You can also distinguish maples for their large, showy leaves.

Method 3 of 4: Identify acorns

1. Understand the function of the glans. The acorn contains the "seeds" of the oak, and an acorn buried in the right location can eventually sprout into a towering oak.
   • The glans develops within a cup-shaped structure, one cupule mentioned. The cupule supplies the nutrients that flow from the roots and leaves all the way through the tree - along the branches and through the trunk into the acorn. When the glans is pointed down, the cupule should look like a kind of cap on top of the nut. The cap is not technically part of the glans, and is more of a protective covering.
   • Each acorn usually contains an oak seed, occasionally two or three. It takes 6-18 months for the acorn to mature into a sprouted oak seedling; acorns germinate best in a humid (but not too humid) environment, and their growth is naturally triggered by the winter temperatures of the Northern Hemisphere.
   • Acorns have evolved into delicious food for deer, squirrels and other woodland creatures. When animals eat the acorns scattered across the forest floor, they take the small oak seeds on board. When they excrete the eaten acorn seeds - or, in the case of squirrels, compulsively hide acorns and then forget about them in the spring - they disperse the acorn seeds throughout their ecosystem. Most seeds will not survive to become full-fledged oak trees, but those that do eventually survive will eventually start producing acorns on their own.
   • When an acorn falls to the ground, it has about a 1 in 10,000 chance of becoming a full-fledged oak - so you can see why the oak produces so much of it!
2. Look for acorns on branches or around the base of oak trees. Acorns can vary in size and color, but most are characterized by a bumpy "cap" and a smooth, pointed underside. The following dimensions can give you more information about a tree:
   • Observe the stem on which the acorn grows. Pay attention to the length of the stem and how many acorns grow on it.
   • Pay attention to the shape of the cap. The nut of the acorn comes out of a woody shell, as if it were wearing a hat. Cupules can be scaly and bear warty, hairy growths that can take the shape of a rim, or be characterized by color changes, such as concentric rings.
3. Measure the length and diameter of the cap. Some varieties have long nuts, while others are thick and almost spherical. Measure how much of the glans is covered by the cap.
   • As a general rule, full-grown red oak acorns are slightly larger: 1.8cm to 2.5cm long, with the cap covering about 1/4 of the nut.
   • Full grown acorns of the white oak are usually slightly smaller: 1 cm to 1.8 cm long.
4. Note the characteristics of the acorns. Note the color of the note, whether it has a pointed end, and whether there are other distinguishing features such as ridges or stripes.
   • Acorns of the red oak are often full reddish brown in color, while those of the white oak more often have pale gray tones.
   • White oak species produce acorns in a one-year cycle. These acorns contain less tannin and taste better for forest creatures (deer, birds and rodents), but the amount of acorns they produce from year to year is more sporadic.
   • Red oaks take two years to mature an acorn, but they reproduce annually, and they generally provide a reliable annual crop. While the red oak acorns are higher in tannins and, in theory, don't "taste as good," this doesn't seem to stop forest creatures from gobbling up all the acorns they can find.
   • The acorns of the red oak usually contain large amounts of fats and carbohydrates, but acorns of the white oak contain the most carbohydrates.

Method 4 of 4: Identify oak wood and bark

1. Examine the bark. Notice a hard, gray, scaly bark with deep grooves and ridges.
   • The ridges and grooves often merge into flattened gray areas on the larger branches and main trunk.
   • The color of the bark of the oak species can fluctuate somewhat, but almost always has a gray tone. Some oak bark is very dark, almost black, and sometimes the bark is almost white.
2. Consider the size of the tree. Ancient oaks are particularly characteristic for their impressive size, and in some areas (such as the golden hills of California) these behemoths dominate the landscape.
   • Oak trees tend to grow quite large and round, with some reaching heights of 30 feet or more. Oak trees are full and balanced, and it is not uncommon for an oak to grow as wide as it is tall (including branches and leaves).
   • Oak trunks can become very massive: some species are nine meters or more in size. Oaks can live to be over 200 years old - some as long as over 1000 years. In general, the thicker the trunk, the older the tree.
   • The oak canopy tends to be relatively wide, making this a popular spot for shade and privacy during the summer months.
3. Learn to recognize oak as soon as it is cut. When a tree has been felled, sawn and split, you can rely on characteristics such as the color, the smell and the appearance of the grain.
   • Oak is one of the hardest woods, which is why its wood is a popular choice for furniture, flooring and other household amenities. Dry logs of oak are used as firewood because they burn slowly and thoroughly.
   • Again, there are many types of oak, so it helps to know where the tree was cut. If you don't know where the wood comes from, you may only be able to distinguish whether you are dealing with red or white oak. This knowledge should suffice for most non-scientific purposes.
   • Red oak has a red hue and slightly deeper red drying. White oak will be a bit lighter in color.
   • Oak wood is often confused with maple, but you can tell them apart by their scent. Maple has a sweeter scent - hence the maple sugar - and oak has a heavier, smoky scent.