Northern Red Oak on the King Ridge

Photo by Barry Wallace

 Mighty red oaks hang on to leaves

The photo above shows a section of the King Ridge, rising up behind a corn field, between Dufferin and Keele Streets, on the 19th Sideroad.   The bright red, orange and yellow leaves of the maples and beech trees have almost completely fallen.   The dark, reddish-brown colour between the bare branches are the leaves of Red Oak trees, many of which will retain their leaves throughout the winter   Northern Red Oak acorns are a source of food for White-tailed deer and Blue Jays, as well as many small mammals.   Oaks are sometimes overlooked in the summer because of the plentiful maples and beech trees, but in fall and winter one can readily see the extent of oaks in any given forest, by the remaining leaves above.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace