Only in Texas

Ian

Notorious member
So the date is January the 1st. To be clear, it is the dead of winter in Texas.

Also, Red oak trees are deciduous.

Deciduous trees lose their leaves in autumn, which is why most people refer to it as "fall".

You think you know this all to be true beyond question, but then this happens.......
















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S Mac

Sept. 10, 2021 Steve left us. You are missed.
They say everything is bigger and better in Texas.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I didn't think about it being an acorn lodged in the bark, but the sprout looks like all the other ones which are dormant on the same area of the tree. I think the ice storm we're supposed to have tonight might convince this twig to go night-night for a few months.
 
F

freebullet

Guest
It was 6 here this morning, got a few poison ivy leaves still trying to hang on! Dun been sprayed with weed killer several times. Still trying....
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
Got two BIG Red Oak trees in the front yard. Last year, didn't have many acorns.
This year, we were knee deep in them.
Probably took twenty plastic yard bags of acorns off the yard and still have a solid layer for the squirrels.
 

JonB

Halcyon member
Ian,
In MN, Red Oak trees grow straight and tall, also they have a different bark than that curved TX tree you have in your photo, I have never seen a MN Red Oak that didn't have a straight trunk ...and they have one unusual characteristic, they drop their leaves in mid winter, whereas all other oak trees in MN drop there leaves in Sept or Oct. The Red Oak leaves turn brown in Sept/Oct, but the brown leaves cling to the tree until January.
I'm wondering if MN Red Oak are different that what you have in TX?
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/trees_shrubs/deciduous/northernredoak.html
I happen to know more than the "usual" amount of info about MN Red Oak trees, because my best friend's farm is loaded with them. I've cut/split countless cords of firewood from them. They grow much faster than other varieties of Oak.
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
You've described my Red Oaks exactly. Tall and straight and didn't drop all their leaves until a big storm came through last week. Still have a few leaves hanging on. My understanding is wildlife likes the White acorn dropped buy live oaks and Burr Oaks better ban the reddish acorn dropped by Red Oaks.
 

Ian

Notorious member
These are southern red oak, or Spanish oaks. They do grow straight where there is soil, but there is almost no soil here, only rough limestone rock formations and caliche layers. The rocky terrain, together with sapling damage from animals and weather, makes them crow crooked and deformed. The leaves which turned bright red in November are brown and a few still hang on the trees, but the green has been gone since October, a normal thing for here. This tree has some long-dead, brown leaves on it still, but just this one random green sprig poking out is weird, never seen anything like it before.