Oaks and Hickories
Your first encounter with an oak or hickory tree may have been the big one you climbed in your backyard. But probably you have had many more meetings with them since that time.
The oaks and hickories are very important members of Missouri's forests. About three-fourths of the trees you will find in our forests will be either an oak or a hickory.
These hardwoods are known for their strong, functional wood which is manufactured into furniture, lumber, flooring and other products. Yet the beauty, recreation, wildlife habitat and water quality these forests provide are more valuable to many.
Oaks and hickories are the most numerous of the tree species in the state. But each is distinct and each has its place in Missouri's forests.
Differences Between Red Oaks and White Oaks
Red oaks have bristle-tipped lobes or teeth on their leaves, while white oaks lack this feature. The bark of red oaks is often dark gray, brown or occasionally black, and it is rough, hard and ridged. The bark of white oaks is a lighter color and scaly or flaky. White oak acorns are sweet and they mature on the tree in one growing season, while the acorns of red oaks are bitter and mature in two seasons.
The pores of the wood of the white oaks are plugged with material called tyloses. Because of tyloses white oak wood is used in barrels that hold liquids, and white oak is used in the aging of spirits like bourbon whiskey. Red oak barrels can only be used to store dry materials, and the wood has more important uses as railroad crossties and flooring.
