Huzzah Conservation Area is located in Crawford County. The area consists of 6,225 acres. Rugged forest terrain, the Meramec River and Huzzah and Courtois Creeks draw many visitors to this area.
Media
Scientific Name
Quercus alba
Family
Fagaceae (oaks)
Description
White oak is a large tree with a long, straight trunk and a broad, rounded crown.
Leaves are alternate, simple, 5–9 inches long, 2–4 inches wide; margin entire, with 6–10 lobes; lobes rounded at the tip; upper surface bright green, smooth, often shiny; lower surface whitened, smooth (without hairs). In fall, color can range from uninteresting browns to beautiful claret reds.
Bark is light gray, with shallow grooves and flat, loose ridges; large limbs and branches scaly.
Twigs are slender to stout, green to reddish-green, and hairy when young, turning red-brown to ash gray and smooth with age.
Flowering is in April–May. Male and female flowers are on the same tree; male flowers in drooping catkins, female flowers small and in leaf axils.
Fruits September–October, acorn solitary or in pairs; nut light brown, shiny, widest near the base or middle, tapering to a round tip ¾–1 inch long; cup covering up to ¼ of the nut, bowl-shaped to saucer-shaped, light brown; scales numerous, surface warty or corky, flattened, knobby. Acorns ripen in autumn of the first year.
Similar species: More than 20 species of oaks live in Missouri, not counting cultivated types that never escape. White oak is the banner species for a large subset of native oaks, called the "white oak group." (Our other large subgroup is the "red oak group" or "black oak group.") Missouri oaks in the white oak group include overcup, swamp chestnut, chinkapin, dwarf chestnut, and post oaks. They share characteristics such as acorns maturing during the first autumn after flowering (so, no immature acorns present on the tree during winter); leaves often having rounded lobes; a complete lack of bristle-tips along the edge of the leaf blade; the axils of major veins on the undersurface of leaves without noticeable tufts of hairs; and bark light to medium gray, splitting into loose or somewhat persistent ridges, plates, blocks, or strips.
Size
Height: to 120 feet.
Where To Find
Statewide.
Habitat and Conservation
Occurs on dry upland slopes and ridges; also on low ground of valleys and ravine bottoms. One of the most attractive, long-lived (over 300 years) shade trees in Missouri. One of the state’s most ubiquitous trees, found in a wide variety of forest, woodland, and savanna natural communities throughout the state.
Human Connections
The wood is second only to walnut in unit value. Once used extensively in ship construction; now used for interior finishing, veneer, cabinets, general construction, whiskey and wine barrels, and more. Native Americans made a bread using the ground acorns. The bark was used medicinally.
Ecosystem Connections
The acorns are an important food for blue jays, woodpeckers, wood ducks, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, northern bobwhites, mice, squirrels, raccoons, and deer. Large, strong trees provide nesting space for many birds and mammals, and a sturdy structure for vines and other smaller plants to climb on.
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Media Gallery
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Caption
White oak (Quercus alba) leaf.
Credit
Paul Nelson
Right to Use
Use of this image is restricted to MDC only
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Credit
MDC Staff
Right to Use
Photo by MDC Staff, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation
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Caption
In good fall-color years, white oaks can turn beautiful claret red. This is usually at the peak of fall color, in the second half of October for most of the state.
Credit
Jim Rathert
Right to Use
Photo by Jim Rathert, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation
Image
Right to Use
Photo by MDC Staff, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation
Image
Caption
White oak (Quercus alba) acorn.
Credit
Paul Nelson
Right to Use
Use of this image is restricted to MDC only
Image
Caption
All oak flowers are similar in appearance and emerge in early spring as the new leaves are expanding. Male and female flowers appear on the same tree.
Credit
Paul Nelson
Right to Use
Use of this image is restricted to MDC only
Image
Right to Use
Photo by MDC Staff, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation
Image
Caption
White oak whiskey and wine barrels made from Missouri trees are just one of the many products from our forests.
Credit
Cliff White
Right to Use
Use of this image is restricted to MDC only
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Similar Species
Similar Species
Where to See Species
Much of the area was purchased in the 1950's through the efforts of James B. Jenkins, a local resident farmer.
This 4,809-acre area is composed of the 2,355-acre Atlanta tract and the 2,454-acre Long Branch tract.
The Conservation Department purchased land for this area in 1967 in part with Pittman-Robertson funds from the federal excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition.
Compton Hollow Conservation Area is located in Webster County. Visitors can access this 840-acre area from Compton Hollow Road, where two parking lots are located about 0.75 mile apart.
About Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines in Missouri
There are no sharp dividing lines between trees, shrubs, and woody vines, or even between woody and nonwoody plants. “Wood” is a type of tissue made of cellulose and lignin that many plants develop as they mature — whether they are “woody” or not. Trees are woody plants over 13 feet tall with a single trunk. Shrubs are less than 13 feet tall, with multiple stems. Vines require support or else sprawl over the ground.