North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
The North Myrtle Beach Tree City Board selected a Turkey Oak located at Rountree Printing at 2404 Madison Drive as its Tree of the Month for September.
In 1971, prior to buying the beach house and starting Rountree Printing, Steve Rountree moved into the house as a rental tenant. B.R. Hunt, the original owner, told Steve the tree was already there when the house was built shortly after Hurricane Hazel. The tree is 80-90 years old.
The Turkey Oak or Quercus laevis is a member of the red oak group of oaks. It is native to the southeastern United States, occurring on the coastal plain from Virginia south to central Florida, and west to southeast Louisiana. The name Turkey Oak derives from the resemblance of the leaves to a turkey’s foot.
The Turkey Oak is highly drought and wind resistant and produces acorns, a food source for black bears, turkeys and white tailed deer. The tree typically grows to a height of 40 feet but can reach 70 feet in its native setting.
The Tree of the Month program began in 2010 as a way to recognize preserved trees in the city. It also provides a platform to remind people of the benefits and importance that trees offer in our everyday lives.
If you have a tree you would like to be considered for the Tree of the Month award, contact Parks and Grounds Superintendent Jim Grainger at (843) 280-5571 or via email at nmbtreeboard@nmb.us.
Property owners and developers interested in finding out how they can preserve trees on their property may contact the North Myrtle Beach Tree City Board at nmbtreeboard@nmb.us.
