Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The Changing of the Oaks

As you know, I have two oak trees on my property. One is in the front yard and one is in the back. They are very similar in size and shape and type of leaf so I always have assumed they were identical species planted at the same time. But now that fall is here, they have surprised me.

The front yard tree is turning gold from the inside out. Gold leaves are currently intermingled with green all over the tree.


The backyard tree is turning red and orange from the top down and from the outside in. I've been watching the color creep slowly down for the last several days.

Does this mean they are different species or are they just showing their individual personalities?

3 comments:

Abby said...

one might be a red oak and the other a white oak.

I have a white oak and it is enormous. when we decide to move and have the money to do it, I will miss my trees the most.

Birrd said...

They both have the shape of red oaks, but there are lots of different kinds of red oaks.

White oaks are my favorite. They have so much soul. I would hate to leave an enormous white oak if I had one. Someday I will have one!

Annette said...

Ok, Sarah, I LOVE both oaks and maples that turn multi-colored in the fall. So, I had to go ask my dad--he has a PhD in agriculture and economics--about the difference in your trees. He said that red oaks have spikey lobes on the leaves, whereas white oaks have rounded lobes--is that what you meant by the shape of red oaks?

Anyway, Dad said that there are many varieties in each of the types of oak--So... there you have it, whether it was new info or not! Love ya, Annette Belnap