Oak–heath forest


An oak–heath forest is a plant community association and type of forest ecology. It is a deciduous forest type of well-drained, acidic soils, characterized by oaks and plants of the heath family, Ericaceae. It is commonly found in the high elevations of the eastern United States. Such forest areas typically have a dense fibrous root layer at the surface of the soil, and in many areas predominate on south-facing or southwest-facing slopes. Many of the existing oak–heath forests once featured American chestnut as an important canopy species.

Oaks

Oaks characteristic of an oak–heath associations include white oak, Quercus alba; black oak, Quercus velutina; scarlet oak, Quercus coccinea; chestnut oak, Quercus prinus, and red oak, Quercus rubra.

Heaths

plants common to this ecology include mountain-laurel, Kalmia latifolia, various blueberries, genus Vaccinium, huckleberries, genus Gaylussacia, sourwood, Oxydendrum arboreum, and azaleas and rhododendrons, genus Rhododendron. These are all usually shrubs, except for Oxydendron, which is usually a small tree. There are also heaths that are sub-shrubs, usually trailing on the ground, including teaberry, Gaultheria procumbens and trailing arbutus, Epigaea repens.