A rare forest remnant occupies the Blue Knob Ski Lodge grounds, highest inhabited point in Pennsylvania at 3100 feet. A band of curious red oak/scrub oak hybrid trees flourishes adjacent to the ski lifts.
The leaf outlines are red oak-like, while their autumn coloration is a scrub oak-like acorn color. Further reflecting the hybridization, the trees exhibit thick trunks but limited stature.
The hybridization occurs because the red oak reaches its elevational limit for this latitude at Blue Knob and, with nowhere to progress genetically, merges its genes with those of the dominant summit species, scrub oak.
The trees stand across from the ski area's parking lot, which is open year-round free of charge.
Category: The Ridgeline
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