Texas Almanac, 1941-1942 Page: 187
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TEXAS TREES. 187
Principal Native Trees of Texas.
Note -Anyone wishing to add to the brief notes on native trees of Texas, as given below, is referred
to the following works: The Forest Trees of Texas, Bulletin No. 20, prepared by the personnel of the
Texas Forest Service, A & M. College of Texas, 1928, The Trees of Texas, by Dr. Isaac M. Lewis,
University of Texas, 1915; The Vegetation of Texas, by Benjamin Carroll Tharp, Texas Academy of
Science, 1939; Valuable Plants Native to Texas, by H. B. Parks, Texas Agricultural Experiment Sta-
tion, A & M. College of Texas, 1937; Catalogue of the Flora of Texas, by V. L. Cory and H. B. Parks.
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, A & M College of Texas, 1937. The first two publications
given above list only trees, the other three have reference to native flora in general.ASH.-The white ash (Fraxinus americana
L.), which grows in the better-drained parts
of the alluvial portions of Northeast Texas, is
the most valuable. Its wood is used for tool
and implement handles and in the manufac-
ture of athletic goods. Several large factories
operate in this region. The green ash (Fraxi-
nus pennsylvanica lanceolata Sarg ) is widely
distributed over the eastern half of the state,
especially along streams. It is not as desir-
able as white ash. Water or swamp ash
(Fraxinus caroliniana Mill ) is found in the
extreme eastern part of the state. It has little
commercial value. Also popularly classed with
ash is the Wafer ash or hop tree (Ptelea tri-
foliata L.), a small tree in the eastern part of
the state having a root sometimes used for
medicinal purposes.
BASSWOOD.-Several species of the bass-
wood, or linden (Tilia species), are found in
Texas in the eastern and extending into the
south central and southwestern parts of the
state, growing usually in rich, moist soil. The
growth is not sufficient in Texas to be of
much commercial value.
BAY.-The red bay (Persea borbonia (L)
Sprengel) is found as far west as the Brazos,
usually in low, moist soils. It is a good hard-
wood and is used in cabinet making. The
sweet, swamp, or white bay grows in Texas
east of the Neches River on low moist ground.
It has some commercial value.
BEECH.-The beech (Fagus grandifolia
Ehrh ) is found in many sections east of the
Trinity growing usually on bottom lands.
Used in manufacture of furniture, flooring,
etc. The blue beech, or hornbeam (Capinus
caroliniana Walt.), which is known also as
ironwood and water beech, is found on moist
soils in East Texas. Not of much commercial
value, though sometimes used as substitute
for ash.
BIRCH.-The river or red birch (Betula
nigra L.) occurs in East Texas in the rich,
moist soils along streams Good for miscel-
laneous woodenware manufacture, but too
scattered in growth to be of much commer-
cial value.
BLACKJACK.-See Oaks.
BOIS D'ARC.-Also known as the Osaqe
orange and hedge apple. (Toxylon pomiferum
Rafn.). It is one of the most interesting trees
in Texas. It is found in East Texas, attaining
its greatest size (in Texas and in America) in
the Red River Valley. Its wood is very heavy
and hard. It is much used for piling for
bridges and in the past was in great demand
for the construction of farm wagons, the
axles being made of this wood in early days.
It was also used extensively as a hedge tree
on the Blacklands before barbed wire was
introduced and many of these beautiful
hedges remain today.
CATALPA.-The hardy catalpa (Catalpa
speciosa Engelm.) is found in Eastern Texas
on bottom land soils. It has some use as
fence posts, poles and fuel.
CATCLAW.-This small tree (Acacia greg-
gii A. Gray) is found along the Mexican bor-
der extending some distance into Texas. Its
flower, like the huajillo, is a source of supply
for the honey bee.
CEDAR.-The mountain cedar (Juniperus
mexicana Spreng.) is found generally on thehill and mountain sides of the Grand Prairie.
the western Post Oak Belt and throughout
the Edwards Plateau. Several species of the
cedar, or juniper, are found also in the
Chisos. Davis and Guadalupe Mountains,
some of which have been considered by Sud-
worth and others as very interesting The
mountain cedar probably reaches the greatest
size in Burnet and contiguous counties, where
it is cut for posts and poles There was for-
merly a large commercial movement for fire-
wood, but the introduction of natural gas
into nearly all populous Texas centers has
greatly limited this demand There also has
been a small production of cedar oil The red
cedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) is found in
Eastern Texas, usually on the hillsides There
is some utilization for manufacture of cedar
chests, interior finishing, posts, poles, etc.
CHERRY.-Black cherry (Prunus serotina
Ehr.) is found in East Texas and in some of
the mountains of West Texas. A southwest-
ern black cherry is found in the Guadalupe
Mountains. Of great commercial value, it is
nevertheless of too limited growth in Texas
to be greatly utilized.
CHINQUAPIN.-This small tree (Castanea
pumila linnaeus Miller) is found east of the
Neches River on lowland and upland It has
some use as fence posts, cross ties and fuel,
but is of no great economic importance.
CORKWOOD.-(Leineria floridana Chapm )
is found along the Gulf Coast, particularly in
the lower Brazos Valley. It is the lightest of
the native woods of the United States and has
some use as floats for fishing nets, etc.
COTTONWOOD.-The cottonwood, or Caro-
lina poplar. (Populus deltoides virginiana
Sudw.) is found in many parts of Texas
growing along streams in nearly every part
of the state. It is largely used as a shade
and ornamental tree. There are several spe-
cies growing along the streams in West
Texas, particularly in the Canadian Valley,
where this tree has been utilized commercial-
ly to a limited extent.
CYPRESS.-The bald cypress (Taxodium
distichum Rich ) is found in swampy regions
in East Texas and along streams as far west
as the Nueces and Frio Rivers in Southwest
Texas. It has some commercial value. Its
occurrence on the subhumid Edwards Plateau
(along perennially flowing streams) is con-
sidered noteworthy.
DOGWOOD.-Throughout the forest regions
of East Texas the dogwood (Cornus florida
L.) is found. It is used for ornamental
planting and to a limited extent for various
commercial purposes.
ELM.-The best known of the Texas elms
is the American or white elm (Ulmus ameri-
cana L.). As throughout the nation, it is
probably the most popular shade tree in
Texas. It grows generally on well-drained
land and is found in the central, northern
and eastern portions of the state. It is not of
sufficiently dense growth at any place in
Texas to be of great commercial value. One
of the Texas elms is the winged elm (Ulmus
alata Michx.) found in Eastern Texas and
throughout South Texas to the valley of the
Guadalupe, growing both on the uplands and
in the bottoms. The slippery or red elm (Ul-
mus fulva Michx ) grows over much of the
same territory covered by the winged elm,
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Texas Almanac, 1941-1942, book, 1941; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117164/m1/189/: accessed May 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.