Slope Maintenance and Bridge Replacement (Part II)

This area is still a mess since the last time we worked on it. Projects like this must be repaired slowly, as the big chunks of clay are not easily moved, shaped, or broken up when they have any appreciable moisture content. Weather, uncontrollable and unpredictable as it is, can be a major inhibiting factor.

 

Leaves, on top and mixed into clods of clay, make for a very difficult work environment. It's hard to see what needs to be done since leaves can cover a gaping hole or simulate a mound of earth.

Leaves of the swamp white oak (Quercus michauxii) comprise the bulk of the leaf litter.

With the heavy leaf layer removed, we can see what needs to be done. Much of the gravel has been washed down slope, exposing roots.

 

 

Looks can be deceiving; it may not appear much different, but a lot of work went into leveling off these mounds of clay, smoothing out the slope, and generally re-sculpting the damaged terrain. Hopefully we have a few more days before another good rain soaks the ground, making the clay unmanageable.

In other news, a construction project is underway in the middle of the arboretum.

The long white wooden bridge that runs between Mickel Hall and the Student Union Building was completely removed, and carpenters are now in the process of building a new structure. See pictures of the old bridge here.

It takes a lot of material to build even the simplest infrastructure. Plenty of treated lumber is stacked nearby, waiting to be used.

The bridge spans the arboretum's drainage channel. Currently there is standing water in the stream, but this area dries out during the summer.

Some of the bridge's pylons are made of heritage brick. The rest are economical cinderblock.

This treated lumber will need to withstand quite a range of weather conditions: hot, cold, wet, and dry. The previous bridge lasted more than two decades.

We wish the workers a safe project and look forward to having a new bridge.

2022 Acorn Watch: Swamp White Oak (Quercus michauxii)

 

This past week, we found both ripe and ripening acorns in the leaf litter under our large swamp white oak (Quercus michauxii). There weren't many fruits―only these five. In hindsight, it would have been worthwhile to count the empty caps.

The ripening acorns are very pretty―the caps are pink!

The ripe fruits are shades of brown.

2022 Acorn Watch: Swamp White Oak (Quercus michauxii)

 

Today in the arboretum, a double-handful of acorns was found under one of the two elder swamp white oaks (Quercus michauxii). Thus far, the swamp white oaks have not been included in 2022 Acorn Watch, primarily because all of their lower limbs are far out of reach. Luckily, the larger of the two trees grows near a sidewalk; the newly-fallen acorns were noticed very quickly after they accumulated on the concrete.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The swamp white oak under discussion is approximately 30 years old. It is pictured center, growing at the junction of a sidewalk and a gravel path, and near the arboretum drainage channel, which, as shown in the above photo, is thick with Louisiana palmettos. Since the drainage channel is a main watercourse for the arboretum and since palmettos are a water-loving species, we can say that the tree is satisfying the "swamp" conditions of its name.

The lower section of the trunk is pale and bare, with no low-hanging branches. Up past the bifurcation, out of reach, is where all the acorn clusters have been hiding.

Peeling, flaking bark is characteristic of this species and the white oaks generally.

Some acorns are turning brown (which may indicate ripeness) while others are still green. In an older blog post, found here, we see ripe swamp white oak acorns appearing in the leaf litter at the beginning of December. Perhaps these acorns dropped prematurely due to the particularly windy weather we had over the weekend.

These specimens are large, regular, beautiful, well-proportioned acorns. Truly an ideal for what any acorn should aspire to be.

Tree of the Week: Swamp White Oak (Quercus michauxii)

A certain swamp white oak (Quercus michauxii) is calling for our attention this week. We have a 25-year-old specimen that is in rude health. It has dropped all of its leaves, revealing a handsome upright, white trunk. Its large acorns, mixed into the rattling leaf-litter, are also of interest.

The bare swamp white oak is pictured center; it's growing in a wet area with plenty of sun. This 25-year-old was grown from seed collected at the Caroline Dormon Nature Preserve.

The swamp white oak grows at the bottom of a steep slope, next to the arboretum drainage.

During the summer months, this is a very shady spot. Now that the leaves are on the ground, the sun is lighting up the erect trunk of the swamp white oak. Note the bifurcation of the trunk: the trunk continues to grow straight up, even after the split.

Swamp white oaks have light-colored, flaky bark, characteristic of white oaks (Quercus alba).

From the leaf-litter: swamp white oak leaves have wavy, toothed edges. The 'teeth' are rounded. This large leaf measures nearly 9 inches in length.

The underside looks nearly identical. However, it has a different texture from the top side: it feels fuzzy.

Leaf-size varies! Also, note that the smaller leaf has a pointed tip, while the larger leaf is rounded.

Here we have a 7-inch leaf with a rounded tip.

Large, oblong acorns are also to be found in the leaf-litter. These acorns are 1.25 inches long.

They are an inch wide.

After the shell is removed, the nut is revealed. It measures approximately an inch in length.

Splitting the nut open reveals a white interior. These nuts are considered a tasty treat by wildlife and cows. Can humans eat them too? The most respectable sources are self-contradictory! Much remains to be studied about this tree.

Swamp white oak acorns have large, rounded, highly textured caps.

The caps taper to a point.

Caps measure almost 1.5 inches in diameter.

When flipped over, the caps appear to be miniature bowls.

The swamp white oak acorn is large, but not the largest. The bur oak acorn is pictured on the right.

You can find more pictures of this tree here.

For more information about this species please consult the following web addresses:
Louisiana Plant Identification and Interactive Virtual Tours (LSU AgCenter)
United States Department of Agriculture
NC State Extension

Quercus michauxii