Download Tree: 1 Planted: Fall, 2009 Submitted by: Ms Palmisano White Oak

Tree:
Planted:
Submitted by:
1
Fall, 2009
Ms Palmisano
White Oak
(Quercus alba)
Type:
Height:
Sun:
Soil:
Zones:
Deciduous
50-100 feet
Full or partial sun
Acidic, moist, well drained
3-9
Description:
The White Oak is a tree that is suitable for large areas.
At maturity, it is a wonderful shade tree that has a
broad, round form. The bark of the white oak is whitish
to light grey in color and can be scaly or rigid. Its
leaves are dark green, with a whitish underside in the
summer and a showy red in the fall. The leaves are
lobed, with rounded ends. They can grow to be 5-6
inches long. The male flowers on the White Oak are
green in color, while the female flowers are reddish
and appear as single spikes. The seeds of a White
Oak are acorns.
Uses:
The White Oak is used mostly as an ornamental shade
tree; however the wood is strong and durable and can
be used for lumber, barrels, flooring, and interior woodwork. The White Oak also provides habitat for
many native animals. Acorns are eaten by squirrels, blue jays, crows, red-headed woodpeckers, deer,
turkey, quail, mice, chipmunks, ducks and raccoons. The leaves are also eaten by many insects.
Concerns:
White Oak leaves can be damaged by leaf eaters including gypsy moths, orangestriped oakworm,
oakleaf caterpillar, oak leaf tiers and walkingsticks. The White Oak is also at risk of bark diseases and
root rot. These trees are sensitive to disturbances in their roots caused by gradi ng, soil compaction, or
changes in water drainage.
Interesting Fact:
The Wye Oak, located in Talbot County, MD, was long recognized as the largest White Oak tree in the
United States. It was believed to be over 460 years old when it fell on June 6th, 2002. At the time, it
measured 96 feet tall, with a trunk diameter of 31feet, 10 inches.