Happy Mystery Monday! What native plant has a unique spiky stem?
Last week, we asked you about the Maryland state tree: the white oak (Quercus alba). Oak trees are some of the most beneficial trees to wildlife. According to Doug Tallamy, oaks host over 900 species of Lepidoptera and produce nutrient dense acorns that birds and mammals rely on. One of the easiest ways to identify the white oak in winter is its notable light grey furrowed and flaky bark. Did you know that most oak trees don’t produce acorns until they are 50-100 years old? That said, some specimen trees can bear acorns as early as 20 years old, given optimal conditions.
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Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.
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