Fruit-Producing Trees and Shrubs in Missouri's Ozark Forests

This is a report on a survey of the abundance and distribution of trees and shrubs producing fruits eaten by wildlife in the Missouri Ozarks. Field crews recorded 8,032 plants of 21 species. Dogwood (Cornus florida), sassafras (Sassafras albidum), fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica), and dwarf sumac (R. copallina) were the most abundant species and made up 80 percent of the sample. Abundance varied by forest type. The greatest variety (19 species) and density (194 plants per acre) occurred in the bottomland hardwood type. The two species with highest density were dogwood (95 trees per acre) and fragrant sumac (122 clumps per acre). None of the fruiting species had a high percentage of plants with fruit. The data indicated that abundance and fruiting were influenced by crown cover of over-story trees, aspect, and position on slope. A summary of food-habits studies showed that fruits are important foods for several wildlife species and indicated the need for maintaining variety in the habitat.