I have an oak but im not sure which one it is.It has grain patterns of a red oak but the wood is white or real light colored,and has dark patches around the knots,the bark is real dark and it is 35" across, is this black oak?
Steveo,
There are just two kids of oaks here, Red oak and White oak though there are arguments that a third category needs to be acknowledged to cover Live Oaks which some put in the White oak category. Black oak falls in the Red oak category so that may explain your confusion. The black areas around knots is indicative of red oaks that develop fungal infections. A picture may help but your best bet is to get hold of the leaves. Identification of confusing woods like that need not only the description but a views of the bark, the leaves and the locale.
Does it look anything like this?
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/qvelutina.htm
Thanks Tom, the bark looks like that in the pictures but not sure of the leaves, my uncle cut this tree and brought it to us, so no leaves to identify.Its has nice looking wood in it, but there is just no red to it at all.
Black oak has a yellow inner bark. It is the only oak to have that. You can bore into the bark with a pocket knife, and when you get down to the inner bark, you'll pull out the yellow stuff. That's black oak.
Your description almost sounds like pin oak. A bark that resembles red oak, but light colored wood.
In Western Wis, black oak is a subspecies of red oak. Leaves are similar; generally less broad than Northern Red Oak, but not as "skinny" as Pin Oak. As anyone who's got considerable red oak population, the leaves can vary in appearance so the leave appearance isn't failsafe. However, in any season all you really have to do is look at the network of branches -- a black will look brushy, with many small side branches. A Northern Red's branch network will look clean -- few small branches and minimal clutter to the overall appearance. Blacks are also less inclined to grow to the same size as Northern reds.
jim
We've got a "water" oak down hear that has very dark bark. If'n you burn it there is an unpleasant odor which leads to it's popular name which is what DanG does to the weeds behind his shop. ::)