You’ve seen this tree a million times, even if you don’t know its name. The post oak is one of several essential trees that really define the Ozarks’ forests, and once you know what it looks like, you’ll see it everywhere: farms and fields along the highway, in parks like the one above in Lowell and many other open areas. This medium-sized tree is also my mascot, the species whose leaf is featured in the Ozark Roots logo. So how about a little introduction?
You can ID a post oak in a few ways: It’s got distinctively cross- or plus-sign-shaped leaves, a rounded or lobed kind of shape once mature, and gnarly branches that curve and twist around. Those characteristics already are enough to make it one of my favorite trees, but it also epitomizes the mission of Ozark Roots in multiple ways.
- It’s tough: Drought-resistant, fire-resistant, able to grow on bare dirt and rock, in the woods and most places in between. It’s a slow grower but mighty, living for centuries. That’s basically where the name comes from, since its sturdy wood was used for fence posts in olden times.
- It’s ecologically vital, supporting all manner of pollinators, birds, mammals with food, whether from its leaves or its acorns, and also with the shelter of its branches.
- It’s ready for our climate future. You could think of climate change as bringing the climates of Oklahoma and Texas — a bit warmer, and more sporadic with the rainfall — to us in Northwest Arkansas. Some plants will have to shift eastward in response. But post oak grows all over Oklahoma and Texas as well as right here, so it’s ready to be a bridge between our climate present and our climate future.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone but me sell post oaks around here — those deep roots make it a little more challenging to cultivate and transplant, I think. But I’m still growing a few, and even if selling the fresh acorns in the fall were my only option in the end, I’d do it. It’s worth the effort to get more of this wonderful tree back in our yards and landscapes.
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