Tree of the Month-August 2010
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Chinkapin Oak
(Quercus muhlenbergii)
You can find August's Tree of the Month, Chinkapin Oak, On the southeast edge of Meadow Lake. Cool off under the shady branches of this magnificent oak tree. Up close, you can admire its wavy-edged, glossy leaves and small, sweet acorns, which are a favorite food for wildlife. Step back to admire the spreading branches that provide welcome shade.
This very attractive shade tree deserves to be used more. Not only does it boast drought tolerance and adaptability to many soils, it also has a very broad, rounded crown that makes a magnificent statement on a large landscape. Its unusual, unlobed, glossy leaves have a beautifully wavy edge. The leaves are dark green on top, with a finely haired, whitish underside. In autumn, they turn attractively orangy-brown. Its gray, flaky bark resembles white oak but has more yellowish-brown coloring, giving rise to its alternate common name, yellow oak.
This unique oak tree worked hard during the early days of America. The earliest pioneers took advantage of its straight wood to make thousands of miles of fences across the Midwest. Later, steamship operators used its wood to fuel ships steaming from Pittsburg to New Orleans. Railroad companies used it for ties for the railroads that crisscrossed the Midwest.
Mature height: 40-50 feet in cultivation, taller in the wild
Rate of growth: Moderately slow
Visit this tree in all seasons to see its changing features!
(Click an image to enlarge.)
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| Leaf | Fall color |