Part 7

The WOOD is light, soft, tough, not durable, and light brown in color. It is used in states where the growth is better for the manufacture of pulp, woodenware, furniture, trunks, excelsior, and many other articles. The principal use of basswoods in Texas is for shade and ornament.

DEVILS-WALKINGSTICK (Hercules-Club) Aralia spinosa L.

This tree, a native of Northeast Texas, is armed from the ground up with many sharp spines, a characteristic that has given the tree many names such as Hercules-club, prickly-elder, and prickly-ash. The last name properly belongs to another tree. Devils-walkingstick possesses sufficient beauty to compensate for its spitefulness. The tree is usually small, but occasionally attains a height of 30 feet, the leaves forming a flat-topped, spreading crown.

The brown BARK is divided by broad shallow fissures into circular, horizontal ridges. The sharp spines along its trunk best identify this tree.

The LEAVES are doubly compounded, or bi-pinnate, the main rachis (leaf-stem) 3 or 4 feet long, clasping the stem with an enlarged base, and leaving conspicuous scars when they fall. The oval leaflets are toothed, pointed, dark green above and paler beneath. They turn yellow in autumn.

In mid-summer each plant bears one immense panicle of small, white FLOWERS, which rises well above the leaves. The tree presents its most striking appearance in autumn when the small black FRUIT ripens, for the fruit-stems turn a rich wine-red. Birds eat the juicy drupes. The WOOD is of no commercial importance.

BLACK TUPELO (Blackgum) Nyssa sylvatica Marsh.

Black gum, often called sour gum, is found in eastern Texas to the valley of the Brazos River; usually in swampy wet soil, but sometimes on dry slopes with the oaks.

The BARK on younger trees is furrowed between flat ridges, and gradually develops into quadrangular blocks that are dense, hard, and nearly black.

The LEAVES are simple, 2 to 3 inches long, entire, obovate to elliptic, shiny, and dark green in color. In the fall the leaves turn brilliant red.

The greenish FLOWERS on long, slender peduncles appear in early spring when the leaves are about one-third grown. They are usually of two kinds, the male in many-flowered heads, and the female in two or several-flowered clusters on different trees. The FRUIT is drupe-like, dark blue ⅔ inch long, containing a single hard-shelled stone, and is borne 2 to 3 in a cluster on 1 to 2½-inch peduncles.

The WOOD is very tough, cross-grained, not durable in contact with the soil, hard to work, and warps easily. Once considered a weed tree, the species is now valuable for basket veneer, box boards, and paper pulp. In the old days, the hollow trunks were used for “bee-gums.”

Swamp tupelo (N. s. var. biflora [Walt.] Sarg.), found mainly on the Coastal Plain, has narrowly obovate to narrowly oblanceolate leaves and fruiting peduncles ⅜ to 1⅜ inches long. The base of the trunk is swollen when submerged.

WATER TUPELO (Cotton-Gum or Tupelo-Gum) Nyssa aquatica L.

Water tupelo is found only in deep river swamps or coastal swamps which are often flooded. The commonly enlarged base, large-sized fruit, hanging on a long peduncle (stem), and the brittleness of the twigs, serve to distinguish this species from the black gum. It forms a tall, often slowly tapering somewhat crooked trunk 50 to 75 feet in height and 2 to 3 feet in diameter. The spreading small branches form a narrow, oblong or pyramidal head. The branches are generally smooth and light brown in color. The BARK of the trunk is thin, dark brown and furrowed up and down the trunk.

The LEAVES are simple, ovate or oblong in shape, acute and often long-pointed. When mature they are thick, dark green and lustrous on the upper side, pale and somewhat downy on the lower side, 5 to 7 inches long and 2 to 4 inches wide, wedge-shaped at the base, and entire or irregularly toothed on the margin. The petiole is stout, 1 to 2 inches long, grooved, and enlarged at the base.

The FLOWERS, which appear in March or April are of two kinds, usually borne on separate trees, the male flowers in dense round clusters, and the female flowers solitary.

The FRUIT, ripening in early fall, is a dark purple drupe, oblong or obovate in shape, about 1 inch long, with a thick, tough skin enclosing a flattened stone, and borne on a slender peduncle 3 to 4 inches long.

The WOOD is light, soft, and not strong. It is used for woodenware, broom handles, fruit and vegetable baskets, marketed as tupelo or bay poplar lumber, and paper pulp.

FLOWERING DOGWOOD Cornus florida L.

Dogwood grows in the forests of eastern Texas, usually under the larger forest trees. It is a small tree, up to 30 feet high and 12 inches in diameter, occasionally larger, with a rather flat and spreading crown and short, often crooked trunk.

The BARK is reddish-brown to black and broken up into small 4-sided, scaly blocks.

The LEAVES are opposite, ovate, 3 to 5 inches long, 2 to 3 inches wide, pointed, entire or wavy on the margin, prominently veined, bright green above, pale green or grayish beneath.

The FLOWERS, which unfold from the conspicuous, round, grayish, winter flower buds before the leaves come out, are small, greenish-yellow, arranged in dense heads surrounded by large white or pinkish petal-like bracts, which appear like large spreading flowers 2 to 4 inches across.

The FRUIT is a bright scarlet drupe one-half an inch long and containing a hard, two-celled nutlet containing 1 or 2 seeds. Usually several fruits are contained in one head, and are relished by birds, squirrels, and other animals.

The WOOD is hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, and brown to red in color. It is in demand for cotton-mill machinery, turnery, handles, and forms.

With its masses of early spring flowers, its dark red autumn foliage, and bright red berries, dogwood is probably our most ornamental native tree. It should be used more extensively in eastern Texas for ornamental planting.

TREE SPARKLEBERRY (Farkleberry) Vaccinium arboreum Marsh.

In the coastal belt of eastern Texas as far as Matagorda Bay, farkleberry, or tree huckleberry, grows in moist sandy soil along the banks of ponds and streams. Although it is found from Virginia to Missouri and southward, it reaches its largest size, 20 to 30 feet, near the Gulf Coast of Texas. The crooked trunk may attain a diameter of 8 to 10 inches. Further inland it is a large shrub.

The LEAVES are oval and glossy green, varying up to 2 inches in length and 1 inch in width. They are mostly evergreen, or at least persist on the twigs during the winter.

The FLOWERS are small, white, and bell-shaped, and appear in long open clusters on racemes.

The FRUIT consist of small, round, shiny, nearly black berries which ripen in the fall and, unless eaten by birds or animals, remain until spring. They have a slightly puckering but pleasing flavor.

The WOOD is heavy, hard, close-grained, and light reddish-brown. It is sometimes used for tool handles.

GUM BUMELIA (Woolly Buckthorn—Gum-Elastic) Bumelia lanuginosa (Michx.) Pers.

Gum bumelia, often called false buckthorn or chittamwood, occurs along streams in sandy woods in eastern Texas to the San Antonio River and over the Edwards Plateau to Palo Pinto County. It reaches its largest development probably in Central Texas where it occasionally grows as a tree 80 feet high and 3 feet in diameter.

The branches are short, stout, and stiff, and often armed with straight or curved spines.

The LEAVES are oblong, more or less grouped near the ends of short spurs; rounded at the apex, narrowed at the base; thick, firm, dark green and shiny above, and rusty-woolly beneath. They are from 1 to more than 2 inches long and up to ¾ inch wide.

The FLOWERS are small and open in summer, each borne on a hairy flower-stem (pedicel) about ⅛ inch long. They are borne in fascicles of 15 to 18, near the axils of the new leaves or near the leaf-scars of old leaves. The petals are white and lobed. The fruit is fleshy, black, oblong, about ½ inch in length, borne singly or in a cluster of 2 or 3, and usually dry and firm on the outside and contain a light brown, firm rounded seed. The ripe fruit falls from the tree in autumn.

The WOOD is light brown streaked with white and surrounded by a band of lighter colored sapwood. It is heavy, hard, and close-grained.

B. lanuginosa var. Rigida A. Gray, is found in western and southern Texas, while B. lycioides L. Pers., is found in eastern Texas to Milam County.

COMMON PERSIMMON Diospyros virginiana L.

Persimmon is a well known tree throughout its range. It is small, rarely exceeding 50 feet in height and 18 inches in diameter, occurring in the state as far west as the Colorado River. It prefers dry, open situations, and is most abundant in old fields, though it occurs on rich bottomlands.

The BARK of old trees is almost black and separated into thick, nearly square blocks.

The LEAVES are alternate, oval, entire, 4 to 6 inches long, dark green and shining above, paler beneath.

The small FLOWERS, which appear in May, are yellowish or cream-white, somewhat bell-shaped, the male and female flowers occurring on separate trees; the male in clusters of 2 or 3, the female solitary. They are visited by many insects.

The FRUIT is a pulpy, round, orange-colored or brown berry, an inch or more in diameter and containing several flattened, hard, smooth seeds. The fruit is strongly astringent while green, but often quite sweet and delicious when thoroughly ripe. It is relished by both man and animals, especially after a few frosty nights.

The WOOD is hard, dense, strong, the heartwood brown or black, the wide sapwood white or yellowish. It is particularly valued for shuttles, golf club heads, and similar special uses, but is not of sufficient commercial use to warrant its growth as a timber tree.

The TEXAS or BLACK PERSIMMON (D. texana Scheele) is described on page 127.

COMMON SWEETLEAF (Horse-Sugar) Symplocos tinctoria (L.) L’Hér.

Sweetleaf is usually found along the borders of streams and swamps, chiefly in East Texas. It seldom grows to a height of more than 30 feet or a diameter of more than 8 inches. The slender upright branches, forming an open head, are bluish or grayish, and decidedly roughened by elevated leaf-scars, or places of attachment of the last crop of leaves.

The thick, shiny, dark green LEAVES, arranged alternately along the stem, vary from 5 to 6 inches in length and 1 to 2 inches in width. They remain on the twigs until spring. The leaves are sweet and eagerly sought for food by livestock.

The tiny, pale yellow fragrant FLOWERS are produced in close clusters at intervals along the branchlets. The FRUIT, a small, one-seeded drupe, has a thin dark orange or brown skin. The fruit is eaten to some extent by deer.

The WOOD is light, soft and pale red or brown, and has no commercial value. Both leaves and bark yield a yellow dye. The bitter aromatic roots have been used as a tonic.

TWO-WING SILVERBELL (Snowdrop Tree) Halesia diptera Ellis

This attractive tree or shrub, may grow as a small tree, sometimes as much as 30 feet high, with a trunk 6 to 10 inches in diameter. It occurs in rich, wet woods and on the borders of swamps and streams, but is adaptable to many sites. It is found in the southeastern portion of Texas, being a native of the Gulf Region.

The BARK of the trunk is brown, divided by irregular longitudinal fissures, and separating on the surface into thin scales. The bark on the twigs forms long, loose, brown fibers, which makes it easy to identify during the winter.

The alternate, ovate to obovate LEAVES are bright green above, paler and downy underneath, 3 to 4 inches long, and 2 to 2½ inches wide. They are much larger on young shoots. The leaves have minute callous teeth.

The white FLOWERS, usually about 1 inch long, come before the leaves and are borne in clusters of 3 to 5. The tree is charming when thickly hung with its “silver bells.” The FRUIT is about 2 inches long with two wide, thin wings, and two (rarely three) narrow wings in between.

The WOOD is light, soft, strong, close-grained, and light brown, with thick, lighter-colored sapwood. It is not of commercial importance.

CAROLINA ASH (Water Ash) Fraxinus caroliniana Mill.

Water ash is common in shaded swamps, westward to the valley of the Neches River. It forms a tree, rarely more than 40 feet high, with a trunk sometimes 12 inches in diameter, and has small branches, making a narrow, often round-topped head.

The BARK is thin, light gray, and marked by large irregularly shaped round patches which separate into small, thin, close scales.

The LEAVES are compounded, 7 to 12 inches long, thick and firm when mature, with 5 to 7, ovate to oblong, finely to coarsely toothed leaflets, 3 to 6 inches long, 2 to 3 inches wide, dark green above, and paler below.

The small male and female FLOWERS appear on separate trees, in February or March. The FRUIT is elliptic to oblong-ovate, frequently three-winged, 2 inches long, ⅓ to ¾ inch wide. The wing extends below the body of the fruit and narrows into a stipitate (stalk-like) base.

The WOOD is light, soft, weak, close-grained, nearly white, sometimes yellowish, with thick, lighter-colored sapwood. It is used chiefly for fuel.

WHITE ASH Fraxinus americana L.

White ash is found in East Texas to the valley of the Trinity River. It grows best in the rich moist soils of upper bottomlands. The bark is gray and furrowed, the branchlets smooth and gray with rust-colored winter buds.

The compound opposite LEAVES are generally straight, 8 to 12 inches long, with 5 to 9 (usually 7) sharp pointed leaflets, dark green above and paler and whitish beneath.

The male and female FLOWERS appear on separate trees, the male in dense reddish-purple clusters and the female in more open branches. The FRUIT is a samara, 1 to 1½ inches long, resembling the blade of a canoe paddle in outline, with the smooth, terete body at the handle end. The fruit matures in late summer and is distributed effectively by the winds.

The WOOD of white ash is extremely valuable because of its toughness and elasticity. It is preferred for small tool handles, athletic equipment, and agricultural implements, and is used extensively for furniture and interior finish.

The ashes comprise the only group of trees in eastern America that have opposite, pinnately compound leaves with 5 or more leaflets. This fact provides a ready means of identifying the group. There are at least seven other species of ash in Texas.

GREEN ASH Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.

Green ash is a common tree along streams as far west as the Guadalupe River. It attains a height of 50 feet or more, has spreading branches and a trunk ranging up to 2 feet in diameter. The TWIGS are smooth, round, and ashy gray, marked by pale lenticels and rusty bud-scales.

The BARK is ½ inch or more thick; brown, tinged with red, and slightly furrowed or ridged. The LEAVES are opposite compound, 10 to 12 inches long, with 5 to 9 pointed leaflets slightly toothed on the margin. They differ from those of white ash in being lustrous green on both sides or slightly paler beneath. The terminal leaflet is frequently askew from the main axis of the rachis.

The small, male and female FLOWERS occur on separate trees.

The FRUIT is flat, winged, 1 to 1½ inches long, ¼ to ⅓ inch wide, the wing portion extending well down past the middle of the terete, many-rayed body. The wing is sometimes square or slightly notched at the outer end.

The WOOD is heavy, hard, rather strong, brittle, and coarse-grained. It is used for the same purposes as white ash but is not as desirable.

SWAMP PRIVET (Common Adelia) Forestiera acuminata (Michx.) Poir.

Swamp privet or forestiera is found along river banks, lakes, and standing water over eastern Texas to the Colorado River. It is usually a large shrub but often becomes a small tree, less than 30 feet high, with a short trunk usually less than 8 inches in diameter. Its youngest branches are slender, somewhat hairy, slightly angular, and vary in color from yellowish-green to brown. They become darker and more rounded the second season.

The BARK is thin, dark brown to brownish-gray, close, and slightly ridged.

The LEAVES are thin, simple, opposite, 2½ to 4 inches long, 1 to 1½ inches wide, pointed at both ends, yellowish-green on the upper surface, paler on the lower surface, and slightly toothed above the middle.

The FLOWERS appear in April before the leaves. They are of two kinds, borne separately on the same tree, rather small and in clusters.

The FRUIT, a drupe, falls when ripe in May or June. It is about 1 inch long and ¼ inch wide, oblong, and tipped with a point. The ripe fruit is deep purple, and contains a tough, dry pulp and a one-seeded stone.

The WOOD is close-grained, yellowish-brown, weak, and rather soft. It has no economic use.

FRINGETREE (White Fringetree) Chionanthus virginicus L.

Children give this tree, with its drooping, fringy, white flowers, such names as “grancy-gray beard” and “old-man’s beard.” Beautiful both in flower and fruit, it is a desirable tree for ornamental planting. It occurs naturally in loamy soil over the eastern part of the state to the valley of the Brazos River and generally grows in the shade of other trees.

The BARK is similar to that of a young ash, but is rougher and whiter. It has tonic properties, and is used in domestic remedies.

The rather large, ovate LEAVES are 4 to 8 inches long, and ½ to 4 inches wide, dark green on the upper surface, paler underneath, and turning a clear bright yellow in autumn. The leaves are opposite, and leave conspicuous scars when they fall.

The odd white FLOWERS, which appear with the very young leaves, are borne in long, loose drooping panicles. The petals are very narrow and long, giving the effect of fringe.

The FRUIT is a dark blue-purple drupe, sometimes as much as an inch long, with a glaucous bloom, and borne in loose, drooping panicles. It is an excellent deer and bird food.

NORTHERN CATALPA (Western Catalpa) Catalpa speciosa Warder

Catalpa, often miscalled “catawba”, is found naturalized in eastern Texas and occurs on various qualities of soil, most frequently on rich, moist bottoms. It is a medium-sized tree, rarely exceeding 50 feet in height and 15 inches in diameter. The trunk is usually short and the head broad with spreading branches.

The BARK varies from dark gray to brown, and is slightly rough, being divided into narrow, shallow strips or flakes.

The LEAVES are simple, opposite, cordate-based, long-pointed, 6 to 10 inches long, and softly pubescent beneath.

The FLOWERS appear in clusters or panicles in April or May, and are 1 to 2 inches long, trumpet-shaped, the wavy and spreading corolla irregular, two-lobed, and with a narrow notch on the margin; corolla white with purple and yellow markings.

The FRUIT consists of a bean-like capsule 8 to 16 inches long and from ⅜ to ½ inch in diameter. It hangs on the tree over winter and gradually splits into two parts, or valves. The seeds are about 1 inch long and terminate in wings that are rounded and short-fringed at the ends.

The WOOD is rather soft, light, coarse-grained, and durable, in contact with the soil. It is used for fence posts, poles and fuel, and occasionally for railroad ties. It is a mistake to attempt to grow catalpa for fence posts or other uses except on good agricultural soil.

SOUTHERN CATALPA (C. bignonioides Walt.) has a thin, scaly bark, abruptly short-acuminate leaf, fetid when crushed. Margin of lower lobe of flower entire. The valves of the capsule flatten after dehiscence. The terminal tuft on the seed forms a point.

DESERTWILLOW Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet

This interesting tree, so named because of its willow-like leaves, is closely related to the catalpa. Often reaching a height of 25 feet and a diameter of 10 to 12 inches, it is found usually in dry, gravelly, porous soils in the valley of the lower Rio Grande and through West Texas.

The LEAVES are less than ½ inch wide and from 6 to 12 inches long, light green, and pointed. Their arrangement on the twig is either opposite or alternate.

The white FLOWERS shade into pale purple and are blotched in their “throats” with pale purple. They occur in an elongated cluster, or raceme, opening successively toward the end of the flower stalk.

The FRUIT “pods” are capsules 7 to 12 inches long, hard or woody, very slender, and contain numerous small seeds.

The soft, weak, close-grained WOOD is brown streaked with yellow. The sapwood turns to heartwood in 2 or 3 years.

COMMON BUTTONBUSH Cephalanthus occidentalis L.

Buttonbush of Texas is a small tree or large shrub up to 18 feet high, with a straight, tapering trunk up to 12 inches in diameter. Attaining its largest size in moist rich soil of eastern Texas, it is also found to the valley of the Rio Grande. The branches are generally upright, the spreading branchlets with pithy in the centers, often occurring in whorls of three from one place on the stem.

The LEAVES occur in pairs or whorls of 3 (occasionally more) each oval or elliptical, pointed, rounded at the base, from 2 to 7 inches long by 1 to 3 inches wide. They are thin, dark green above, with a large central midrib, and somewhat hairy beneath. They fall in autumn or remain on branchlets over winter.