Oak–hickory forest facts for kids
An oak–hickory forest is a special kind of forest found in North America. It's a big natural area, or ecoregion, that belongs to the Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests group of habitats. These forests are named after the two main types of trees you'll find there: oak trees and hickory trees!
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Where Do Oak–Hickory Forests Grow?
These amazing forests cover a huge area in eastern and central North America. You can find them stretching from Rhode Island and southern New York all the way west to Iowa. They also go south to northern Georgia.
But that's not all! You can also spot smaller groups of oak–hickory trees in other places. These include North Dakota in the west, Florida and northeast Texas in the south, and even southern Maine and Ontario in the north.
Because they are filled with many kinds of oak and hickory trees, these forests are the most widespread type of deciduous forest in this part of the world. Deciduous means the trees lose their leaves in the fall!
A Forest's Changing Story
The oak–hickory forests we see today have an interesting past. Long ago, parts of this area were known as the oak–chestnut forest. This was especially true in the northeastern areas.
The American Chestnut's Challenge
In the early 1900s, something sad happened. A tiny fungus, called a blight, attacked the American chestnut trees. This fungus was invasive, meaning it wasn't naturally from here and caused a lot of harm. Sadly, most of the American chestnut trees died.
When the chestnut trees disappeared, the forests changed. Oak and hickory trees, which were already there, took over. They became the main types of trees, creating the oak–hickory forests we know today.
Plants and Animals of the Forest
Many different plants and animals call the oak–hickory forest home. Each species plays an important role in this ecosystem.
Trees and Shrubs
You'll find many kinds of trees and shrubs here. Some of the most common ones include:
- Red oak
- Black oak
- Scarlet oak
- White oak
- Chestnut oak (Quercus prinus)
- Pignut hickory (Carya glabra)
- Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis)
- Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)
- Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
- Blueberry
- Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
- Hawthorn
Forest Animals
These forests are also home to many cool animals. Look out for these creatures:
