Red oak (Quercus rubrum) is a common dominant tree of this upland forest community type. White oak (Quercus alba), American basswood (Tilia americana), sugar and red maples (Acer saccharum and A. rubrum), white ash (Fraxinus americana), shagbark hickory (Carya ovata), and wild black cherry (Prunus serotina) are also important. The herbaceous understory flora is diverse and includes many species listed under southern dry forest plus jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), enchanter's-nightshade (Circaea canadensis), large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora), interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana), lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), tick-trefoils (Desmodium spp.), and hog-peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata).
Southern dry-mesic forest occurs on loamy soils of glacial till plains and moraines, and on erosional topography with a loess cap, south of the tension zone. This community type was common historically, although white oak was considerably more dominant than red oak, and the type is still common today. However, to the detriment of the oaks, mesophytic tree species are becoming increasingly important under current management practices and fire suppression policies. Oak forests are succeeding to more mesic species (e.g., central and northern hardwood forest types), or to brush.
