Eastern Black Oak (Quercus velutina)
barkThe bark of the Black Oak is gray and smooth on young trees and turns black and thick with deep furrows as it gets older. The inner bark is orangish-yellow.
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fruitThe fruit of the Black Oak is an acorn. It is 3/4 of an inch long and is covered halfway with a cap. The acorns take about 2 years to grow and mature and are eaten by deer, birds, squirrels, and many other animals.
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Height
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Black Oaks are medium to large trees that grow to around 80 feet.
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Commercial value |
Black Oak, like Red Oak, is used in making furniture, barrels, flooring, railroad ties, fence posts, and firewood.
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threat/diseases |
Diseases that effect the Black Oak tree are Hypoxylon Canker which is when fungus attacks the tree through open wounds. It then flakes off the bark, killing the tree in 1 to 2 years. Also, Bacterial Leaf Scorch is a present disease in Black Oaks. This is when fungus causes defoliation, dieback, then eventually death.
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