A Tree a Week: Post Oak

“The creation of a thousand forests, is in one acorn.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

In our Introduction to Judaism class, Jewish Holidays provide an entry point for exploration, revealing a rich, lunar-based calendar focused on community, history, and spiritual reflection. Earlier this month, our discussion centered around the “birthday of trees” and the ancient wisdom of Tu B’Shvat, celebrated on February 2 this year. Coupling the beauty and complexity of Judaism with a personal search for meaning, one student looked out a large pane window of Dabney that faces the front of campus and commented, “My Opi loves all of the trees." Later, we learned that the oak is among his favorites in the Arboretum, and he is well aware of its many species. Our Level One Accredited Arboretum now includes nine unique oak species, including the Post Oak, whose sturdy, twisted branches and deeply furrowed bark, lumbers over Willis by the front drive.  

A remarkably durable and native tree species, the post oak is a beautiful tree that has stood the test of time. Ours stands at least 50 feet tall and is one of the magnificent centurions on campus.  Easily identified by its large lobed cross-shaped leaves, rounded crown, and wide expansive limbs, the post oak is a symbol of strength and resilience. Tolerant of drought, fire, and disease, she is both a shade and street tree, with visible roots that amble as far as her branches. We’ve seen a scurry of red squirrels utilize her open cavities and constantly chatter to passersby. Supporting our local wildlife, she also attracts a variety of birds, moths, squirrels, butterflies, and other mammals, providing them with food and shelter. The post oak is also a host plant for the larvae of the Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis), and caterpillars continuously feed on decaying sumac leaves and oak litter.

Adding both form and function to our campus, the post oak’s dark green, leathery leaves turn a warm golden-brown in the fall, and it drops as many as 1,000 capped acorns between September and November. These brown, round acorns are produced either singly or in pairs and can be sessile or short-stalked. However, the slow-growing post oak will not produce acorns until it has aged 25 years. The bark is scaly in younger trees, yet mature trees display bark that is rough-textured and ridged with horizontal cross-breaks. The wood of the post oak is also very durable and has been widely used for railroad ties and fence posts; the post oak, with its rugged and sturdy use, wears its name well.  

So, what lessons from the ancient observance of Tu B’Shvat can we celebrate mid-winter? A blog by Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the Fellowship, offers these three:

“While many trees look half-dead, the deep winter is when they are most alive. The sages explain that in winter, deep beneath the frozen ground, new life is beginning inside the trees.”

The Jewish sages teach: “Say little, do much… While we live in a society that talks a lot, we need to take a lesson from the trees and learn to give more. We often think that the way to leave our mark on the world is through our words. But trees teach us that, in the end, it’s our actions that matter most.”

“A tree planted by a stream of water always has strong roots. It isn’t affected by the twists and turns of the weather because it has an alternate source of nourishment…Likewise, a person who is rooted in faith will grow strong like a tree... spiritually nourished and able to thrive in any circumstances.”

Fun fact: the post oak has the ability to stump sprout, meaning it can send up fresh shoots and regrow from the stump of a cut tree. During this high holy season of cultural and religious significance, may we be restored and renewed.