
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, November 7, 1993                   TAG: 9311090248
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Patricia Held
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THE OAK STANDS TALLEST AMONG TREES

There is no other tree quite like an oak. Often described as ``mighty'' and ``the monarch of the woodland,'' the oak tree is a symbol of strength and reliability. And, no wonder. Usually large and sturdy trees, their massive lower branches overtake an area. Oaks are quite adaptable, and live all over the world. Their wood is strong and durable, and their fruits are resilient to most conditions.

Few other trees can compete with the oak. In the United States, about 75 species thrive in the wild, and more than 20 species grow right here in Virginia. Yet, common as they are, oaks are still a favored ornamental in our gardens.

With all of the varieties and hybrid oaks around, it is sometimes difficult to tell the differences between them all. Leaf size and shape vary from branch to branch, and oaks often hybridize naturally to produce offspring intermediate between the parents. Even trained foresters sometimes have a difficult time distinguishing among the trees.

Basically oaks can be divided into two types, the white oaks and the red oaks (sometimes called the black oaks).

A quick look at the tree's leaves is all that is needed to identify most oaks, at least down to their grouping. In general, trees in the white oak group have rounded leaf lobes, while red oaks have pointed lobes with hairlike bristle tips.

From this point on, identification gets more complicated. Among the many species in the white oak group are the chestnut oaks, swamp oaks and white oaks. Red oaks include willow oaks, scarlet oaks, pin oaks and Southern red oaks.

The leaf shape often gives us a clue to the identity of the tree. Even in winter it is possible to determine certain oak species. Many oaks retain their last season's leaves till spring, and even those that do not usually leave some leaf evidence on the ground.

The oak's shape alone is sometimes all that is necessary to determine the tree. Red oaks usually grow wider than they grow high. A tree may be 70 to 90 feet tall, with an even wider diameter. Another telltale characteristic is its massive trunk and large twisting limbs radiating outward and upward.

The white oak is much appreciated for its symmetry and dignified stately beauty. It has enormous horizontal lower limbs branching out from a huge stout trunk, and its upper branches are gnarled and grow downward.

Growing in an open spot, both red and white oaks may reach massive proportions, and will overtake an area to become the center of attention.

All oaks produce a nut-like fruit that we know as the acorn. Oaks are one of the only trees with their fruit named apparently different from the tree name. Actually, the word ``acorn'' comes from the German ``eichkern'' meaning oak seed.

Acorns were considered the ``staff of life'' to primitive man. They were used in much of early man's food preparation. Under Anglo-Saxon rule in England, acorns were valued for fattening swine. Those caught injuring an oak tree were fined. Our American Indians utilized the acorn in their breads and puddings. In his books, the late wild-food enthusiast, Euell Gibbons, writes of eating acorn grits, bread and griddle cakes.

But as most wild-food cooks will tell you, to prepare acorns requires a great deal of work. The nuts must be boiled again and again, and then baked and ground into a fine flour. Acorns are rich in tannin and if this is not first leached out, the final product can be very bitter.

Acorns from red oaks take a full two years to mature. In contrast, white oaks mature in one year's time. Their acorns have less tannin and are sweeter in taste and are far more desirable.

Today most of us do not include acorns in our daily fare. But they do rank at the top of the wildlife food list for game birds and mammals. They are especially important in winter when other foods are scarce.

Oaks are a very important forestry product. The acorns and bark are rich in tannin that has been used as a source for leather tanning. And, as a hardwood timber, oaks have been used for everything from plank floors and furniture to ship masts and pilings.

Great moments in history often took place beneath mighty oak trees. They were the chosen sites where treaties, pacts and charters were signed. Once the historic event had taken place, the long-living oak would stand as a monument to that important moment. What better memorial could be chosen than the magnificent oak?

\ Patricia Held will respond to readers' questions on the plant and animal wildlife in the region. Mail inquiries to: Patricia Held, P.O. Box 65, Goode, Va. 24556.

Patricia Held is a Bedford County free-lance writer and author specializing in natural history.|

by CNB