Oaks are the dominant species in this upland dry forest community. White oak (Quercus alba) and black oak (Quercus velutina) are dominant, often with northern red and bur oaks and black cherry. In the well-developed shrub layer, brambles (Rubus spp.), gray dogwood, and American hazelnut are common. Frequent herbaceous species are wild geranium, false Solomon's-seal, hog-peanut, and rough-leaved sunflower. This community type intergrades with oak woodland, which has similar canopy composition but a more open forest floor due to relatively frequent ground fires and perhaps grazing by elk, bison, or deer prior to European settlement.
