THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2020 Page 13 Saugus gardens in the pandemic Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable By Laura Eisener T he national tree of the United States is an oak (Quercus spp.). Yet “oak” is not the name of a single tree species – of 500 oak species worldwide, about 200 are native to North America. Oaks are strong and longlived trees, and their reputation for resilience and dignity goes back many centuries. Oak leaves and acorns are a popular motif for Thanksgiving decorations. Oak wood historically has been used in building houses, bridges and ships and in making casks for aging whiskey and wine. The natural tannins in the BLACK OAK LEAVES: Trees in the red oak group, including this black oak, have leaves whose lobes have bristle tips, and acorns take two years to mature. Before turning brown, black oak leaves are often golden. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) wood make it strong and rot resistant, as well as insect-repellant. Steve Carlson, chair of the Saugus Historical Commission and preservation specialist at the Charlestown Navy Yard, says that USS Constitution and many other ships of the early Navy relied heavily on oak timber of various species, including southern live oak (Quercus virginiana). Cork oak (Quercus suber), an Old World species not hardy in New England, provides bark for cork boards and wine stoppers and is used in insulation, flooring, automobile soundproofing and sports equipment. The huge logs you may have seen at Saugus Ironworks are waiting to be made into shafts for waterwheels. Saugus Ironworks Park Ranger Paul Kenworthy tells us they are red oak, harvested for this purpose from Allegheny National Forest in northwestern Pennsylvania, which is undertaking some significant forest restoration projects. Botanists often divide the oak genus into two major WHITE OAK LEAVES: This small collection of white oak leaves show their typically rounded lobes without bristles. Fall color is deep red before turning brown. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) groups: the red oak group and the white oak group. The red oak group has acorns that take two years to mature and are bitter because they contain high quantities of tannin. Their leaves have bristle tips at the ends of the lobes, and bark on mature trees is usually dark. Trees in the white oak group have rounded lobes with no bristles, bark is lighter in color and acorns take a single year to mature. Because the acorns are sweeter, they are more popular with wildlife. When we sit down to our Thanksgiving dinner next Thursday, there will be many wild turkeys around town having their own feast on acorns. Deer and, of course, squirrels also relish the fruit of the oak tree. Oaks can have beautiful fall colors of red, gold, orange and russet, but by the time they drop the leaves have usually turned brown. Some oaks retain their dead leaves well into winter. This can make it frustrating for people who want to get their raking done in fall and GARDENS | SEE PAGE 15
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