My name is Jack and I live in a house made of Oak. When I first started studying Blackjack Oaks, I ended up at a casino playing cards. But then I realized that I wasn’t really studying Blackjack Oaks. Boy, I hope I never make that expensive mistake again! The Blackjack Oak is small compared to other oaks. It’s leaves are yellow-greenish. They are trees of the South and grow in sandy or stony soils where most other trees can’t grow. They have acorns no longer than one inch. They are occasionally used for fuel when they are turned into charcoal. It is also used for campfires because it burns very hot, though it is not good for inside fireplaces because the heat makes a popping which increases the risk of house fires. Some of the leaves stay on during the winter. It is part of the Beech family. The American natives used the tree to make medicine for dysentery and the Choctaw people used it to make medicine for childbirth. People also made cigarette wrappers out of the leaves of Blackjack Oaks. Other used the wood of a Blackjack Oaks for railroad ties. Blackjacks attract birds and butterflies. The birds have nests in them, and their acorns feed other animals too. Oh, I almost forgot: The Native Americans also use acorns for a special drink.
