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| For the past two weeks our older blackjack oak (Quercus marilandica) has taken on a cloak of orange. All photos below are of a single specimen. |
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| In October 1988, Professor Ed Leuck purchased this blackjack oak from Woodlanders Nursery (Aiken, SC), making this individual more than 30 years old. The black trunk is straight, but most of its limbs are concentrated on the south side of the trunk. This is most likely due to competition from a close neighbor, an overcup oak (Quercus lyrata). |
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| Our blackjack oak grows in full sun at the top of a gradual slope. |
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| Its leaves have been orange for a couple of weeks. |
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| The leaves of another neighbor, a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), hang on the branches of the blackjack oak. |
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| Fall foliage of Quercus marilandica against a blue sky |
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| Leaves vary in color, but the most stunning leaves are glossy orange. |
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| Leaves and buds alternate along the branch. |
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| Leaves also vary in shape and size. Typically, leaves have 3 shallow lobes. This leaf measures approximately 4½ inches long. |
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| Here we have an unusual asymmetrical shape. This leaf measures more than 6 inches in length. |
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| This leaf is even longer, measuring nearly 7 inches in length. It has the more typical 3-lobe shape. |
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| Blackjack oak leaves are widest near the apex. This leaf measures more than 6 inches across. |
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| This leaf is nearly 7 inches wide and resembles a stingray in shape. |
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| Underneath, the autumnal coloration is subtle on some leaves. |
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| These leaves are a little fuzzy underneath. Can you see the particles along the midrib? |
