Article is from HERE.
The Hood River City Tree Committee tree of the month for January is actually two Oregon white oaks (Quercus garryana), said committee members.
“They were selected due their designation as Hood River City Heritage Trees,” writes the committee. “These trees are located on city property and are immediately adjacent to a recent residential construction project. Established trees such as these increase the aesthetics and property value of new homes and neighborhoods.
“There are many beautiful examples of Oregon white oak throughout the Gorge. This species is the only oak native to Oregon. It occurs throughout the Siskiyou Mountains of southwest Oregon, and is seldom seen west of the Oregon Coast Range. Only throughout the Columbia Gorge does it venture into eastern Oregon.
“Each summer, a few leaves of Oregon white oak can develop large, golf ball to tennis ball sized galls, often called ‘poppers.’ These galls are actually the homes of tiny gall wasps. Don’t worry — these wasps do not harm people. They lay their eggs inside oak leaves, and the leaves react by creating a hard, globe shaped gall that protect the young wasps in their larval stage.”
This information was provided by the City of Hood River Tree Committee, a citizen advisory committee appointed by the Hood River City Council. The committee works to promote and protect trees on city property and throughout our community.
Information for this article was taken from an excerpt of the OSU Department of Forestry Publication EC 1450, entitled, “Trees to Know in Oregon”.
