Oak trees can look pretty gnarly with their huge trunks and crazy looking branches! Oak is a hardwood which means it will burn hotter and will provide the most heat for the weight. It burns clean with no smoke and it throws very few sparks when seasoned. There are around 600 species of Oak, both deciduous and evergreen. The United States has around 55 species of Oak trees and there are some characteristics that are similar to them all.
Acorns are the easiest way to spot an oak tree. If the tree produces acorns, its an Oak tree! Lots of animals like to feed on acorns like deer, squirrels, chipmunks, wild turkeys, crows, rabbits, quail and raccoons.
Lobed leaves are the leaves that have rounded or pointed knobs extending out from the center line. While a few Oaks do not have lobes, all of the leaves are generally symmetrical.
The leaves of evergreen Oaks are shiny and dark green all year, but most Oaks will turn colors in the fall.
Bark on Oak trees is variable, but it is generally made up of small, hard, and scaly bits of bark. This is different from the large, flaky chunks of pine tree bark or the wallpaper-like bark on birch trees.
Oak trees are usually large in size and can reach 70 feet in height and 9 feet diameter. Most live over 200 years.
