Signs of change abound in northwest Louisiana. We are transitioning from winter to spring, and the trees will tell you all about it. Some trees are still completely bare. Others are already putting out new leaves, new flowers, or both at once. A third group, smaller, are still hanging on to last year's leaves with tenacious audacity. For our special feature this week, we are going to look at one of those tardily deciduous fellows.
 |
| Our tree of the week is a Texas red oak (Quercus buckleyi). This specimen is more than 20 years old. In January of 1998, it was purchased from Home Depot, and it was planted two weeks later, in a very sunny location, at the juncture of two sidewalks, between Cline and Rotary Halls. Today, we have a handsome, unobtrusive medium-sized tree. The trunk is divided and the crown is uniformly rounded. |
 |
| All of these old, brown leaves caught our attention this week. Why haven't they dropped yet? Some trees are just like that. Even if they have the dreary appearance of an autumn that overstayed its welcome, these little branches are springy and full of vigor. Don't mistake them for dead branches! |
 |
| Texas red oak leaves are lobed with bristle tips. The leaves on this particular tree are deeply lobed and measure 2.5-4 inches in length. Petioles measure about an inch in length. This leaf measures under 3 inches in length. |
 |
| Texas red oak leaf, 3.5 inches in length |
 |
| Small buds alternate along the twig. |
 |
| Twigs are smooth and hairless. |
 |
All of those brown leaves caught our attention this week, but much could be said for the form of this Texas red oak. It's a compact tree with non-drooping branches that has required little pruning over the years, despite its proximity to the sidewalks. Furthermore, it has an interesting split near the base of the trunk resulting in two thick trunks of comparable size.
|
 |
| The split occurs very low on the trunk. |
 |
| The old bark is turning dark gray and developing rough ridges. |
 |
| Further up the tree, we see the younger, smoother bark has a light gray color. |
For more information about this species please consult the following sources:
Arizona State University
Texas A&M University (Aggie Horticulture)
University of Texas at Austin -- Vascular Plants of Williamson County
