Houstonplants

Common plants found in Houston

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Scientific name: Quercus virginiana
Common name: Live Oak

Brief description: A densly populated Evergreen tree spread throught Texas. The tree can grow up to a hundred feet in diameter, and as tall as 50 feet. The bark and twigs are a dark to light greyish color and becomes darker with age. The leaves are thick, shiny, and dark green on top,lighter below. The fruit, which is the acorn, is about 1 inch long cup, somewhat narrowed at the base. This was a common meal for the Indians of Texas.

The Live Oak is found on the coastally through the central plains of Texas. This wood was used as a very important resource for the Caminos Reales area. Settlers built homes, tools and other necessities from this hard, heavy, and strong wood. The Texas Live Oak are a very important part of Texas's history due to their longitivity.
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LOBLOLLY PINE

Scientific name: pinus taeda
Common name: Loblolly Pine

Brief description: A tall, straight and narrow tree rising up and over 100 feet. The twigs and branches are a light brown with flakey bark. The leaves are 5 to 9 inches long. Loblolly Pines are dense in east Texas and is found in numerious soils.
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COTTONWOOD

Scientific name: Populus deltoides
Common name: Cottonwood

Brief description: A large,straight, and tall tree growing up to 100 feet and over. From the tree it branches up forming a fan shaped tree top.
The twigs and bark are an greyish-yellow to grey color. The leaves are about 2 to 3 inches in legnth with a dull shiny green bottom and a shiny top. The fruit whichs blooms in Spring and emits a pod which has seeds and has a cottony hair. It gets carried away with the wind.
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PECAN

Scientific name: Carya illinoensis
Common name: Pecan

Brief descriptsion: A large tree growing up and over a hundred feet tall with a thick straight trunk up to four feetin diameter. The twigs and bark are a reddish to light brown color with narrow trenches.The leaves are 12 to 20 inchhes long with leaflets that are 3 to 8 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. On top they are slightly fuzzy. Beneath the leaf, it is light pale green to yellow. The fruit which blooms in the fall and is in clusters from 3 to 11. It is widely dispered for its sweet oily taste. The fruit of the Pecan was very important food source for the native and wildlife population.
Pecan is found in Central to East Texas in moist soils likely near streams and river bottoms. The Pecan is the fastest growing hickory, and is widely spread across Texas. This is to have properties that would be used by the Indians.