Trees on the Yale Nature Walk

PHENOLOGY: Open shape tree with incised, broad leaves. Leave margins are lobed and leaf base is acute. Leave apices are acuminate. Venation type is oak pinnate. Leaf arrangement is alternate. /// HISTORY: The swamp white oak is native to North America (Rogers). Historically, the swamp white oak has served as a food source for Native Americans and early colonists. The acorns, whether raw or cooked, have been incorporated into early American diets (Nemson). In addition, Native American communities have used the oak galls as a source of dye and as a medicinal treatment for constipation, cholera, and bone damage (Nemson) Today, the swamp white oak is used for lumber, commonly for construction, furniture, and flooring purposes because of its hardness and the knotty character that lowers its commercial value (Nemson). The oak is also commonly used for landscaping purposes, providing ample shade and tolerable of numerous environments (Nemson). /// NATURAL HABITAT: The swamp white oak, formally known as Quercus bicolor, is located in the central and north eastern regions of the United States (Rogers). Please see the map below for a detailed depiction of its geographical location, stretching from southern Quebec and Ontario to North Carolina and Missouri (Rogers). The swamp white oak is found most often in lowlands, along streams, and in marshy areas with ample access to water (Rogers). As is customary of this region of the United States, this species thrives in climates with average annual temperatures ranging from 4-16° C, hydromorphic soils with high water concentration, and hydromesomorphic forests (Rogers). /// SOURCES: Rogers, R. (n.d.). Quercus bicolor WiIId. USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station. https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/quercus/bicolor.htm. Nesom, G. (n.d.). Swamp White Oak Plant Guide. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_qubi.pdf. General info: SWOT in the city: https://northerngardener.org/plant-profile-swamp-white-oak/, https://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/swamp-white-oak

The red maple, true to its name, produces fabulous red flowers, seeds, and foliage. The flowers appear first, in early spring, and the leaves turn bright red in late summer, before most other deciduous trees. Currently, the red maple has no leaves, however, we expect some lovely red foliage to appear as the weather warms. Some distinctive features of the tree: its roots are exposed and form a wide, circular base, some branches appear to be cut off, and it looks as though there are fungi in the holes.

Located next to Sage Hall, this Northern Red Oak lumbers over its neighboring foliage.