Oaks Quercus alba
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Oaks:
- Phonetic Spelling
- KWER-kus AL-ba
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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The white oak is a deciduous, hardwood tree in the Fagaceae (beech) family and is native to forested areas of eastern North America. It is slow growing and can reach heights of 135 feet with an 80-foot spread but generally tops out at 80 to 100 feet. The common name is a reference to the color of the finished wood, not the bark.
The white oak prefers full sun to partial shade in coarse, deep, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil but is adaptable to other soil types and is fairly drought tolerant once established. Avoid wet sites. The deep taproot makes it difficult to transplant. Propagate by seed (acorns).
This is a long-lived, attractive oak with a pyramidal form. Fall foliage is brown to wine red in color. It is a prolific supporter of wildlife for food and habitat. It supports a wide variety of butterflies and moths plus small mammals and songbirds. And, the acorns of white oak are edible (to humans) after tannins are leached or boiled out.
Use white oak as a shade tree for large yards or parks, or in a naturalized area for wildlife to enjoy. It is suitable for butterfly, children’s, drought-tolerant, edible, native, nighttime, and pollinator gardens. However, it should not be planted near structures or pavement due to its eventual size.
Quick ID Hints:
- Pinnately lobed leaves with entire margins
- Leaves are widest typically at middle, glaucous below
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Numerous insect and disease pests, but the damage is rarely significant. White oak is sensitive to soil compaction and susceptible to wind damage. It can be messy.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Mountain Ridge Top Garden - North Lawn and Upper Drive Border Mountain Ridge Top Garden - East Lawn and Lower Drive Border Mountain Ridge Top Garden - North Lawn and Upper Drive Border
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Quercus
- Species:
- alba
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Hardwood timber for flooring, woodwork, barrels, ships and more.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South East Canada to Central & Eastern U.S.A
- Distribution:
- Found along the entire eastern United States and west into Texas
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Oak trees support a wide variety of Lepidopteran. You may see Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May. Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), has one flight from May-July in the south and June-July in the north. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), has three to four flights in the south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) has three broods in the north from February-October. Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) has three broods in Texas and the deep south from January-November, and two broods in the north from April-September. Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) has one brood from April-June, appearing as early as January in Florida. The Acorns are eaten by woodpeckers, blue joys, small mammals, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, and black bear.
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Wildlife Nesting
- Edibility:
- Acorns (nuts) are edible after tannins are leached or boiled out
- Dimensions:
- Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 135 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 50 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4b, 4a, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8b, 8a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 1/2-1 inch long acorns are elongated and have a shallow cup that covers 1/4 of the nut. The cup is light tan or gray with warty scales. Acorns mature the first year and can be numerous and are a light brown color. Nuts appear from September-November.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Male flowers are produced as greenish-yellow catkins in pendulous clusters about 2-3½" long. Female flowers are smaller and greenish-red and are few in spikes in axils of emerging leaves. Flowers appear in April.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- White
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cuneate
- Oblong
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 4-9 inch long by 2-4 inch wide leaves have 5-9 deep, rounded and even lobes per leaf. They have a rounded tip and a wedge-shaped base. The sinuses vary in depth and some may reach near the midrib. Color is bright green with whitish undersides. The fall color is purplish-brown to reddish-brown and develops late. A few leaves may persist into winter. Leaves are alternate, simple, obovate to oblong-obovate, and cuneate. Lobes are entire and obtuse. Lower surface is glaucous beneath.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Peeling
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- Light grey, shallowly furrowed and divided into flat narrow plates. Can become flakey with age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Branch bark is light gray and smooth. Twigs are yellowish-brown to purplish brown and smooth with scattered white lenticels. Buds are are ovoid, blunt, up to 1/4" long, have imbricate scales, are reddigh-brown to brown, and are pubescent hairy near ends.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Fire
- Heat
- Salt
- Problems:
- Messy
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Abdominal pain, constipation then diarrhea (occasionally bloody), depression, frequent urination, discolored urine, jaundice; acorns can obstruct the digestive tract
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin.
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Leaves
- Seeds
