Quercus phellos
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KWER-kus FEL-ohs
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Willow Oak is a deciduous tree in the beech family that is native to eastern and central USA. It may grow 50 to 80 feet tall but can reach up to 100 feet tall and is long-lived. In NC it can be found in all areas of the state. It has a nice balanced, rounded form that has made it a popular tree in the southeast USA. Willow Oak is fast-growing for an oak and starts producing acorns at age 15-20 years. This tree is a high-value wildlife tree for birds and mammals.
Willow Oak is easy to grow in acidic, average, medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun to light shade. It is adaptable to a variety of soil types. It is utilized as a shade tree in commercial establishments, parks, golf courses, large yards and as a street tree.
Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This tree is susceptible to wind damage. Fairly disease and pest resistant. Root rot, borers, trunk canker, and orange-striped oakworm are potential problems. Chlorosis due to iron deficiency occurs on high pH soil.
Quick ID Hints:
- Leaves willow-like with bristle tip
- Leaf pubescence below in axillary tufts of hairs
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'High Tower'
- 'High Tower'
- 'High Tower'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'High Tower'
- 'High Tower'
- 'High Tower'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Quercus
- Species:
- phellos
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- This wood is used in construction for lumber, crossties, and pulp.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central & Eastern U.S.A
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , KY , LA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA. Found in all southeastern states; starting from eastern Texas towards the east coast, south to northern Florida and stopping northward at southern New Jersey.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- medium 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. Its acorns are eaten by woodpeckers, songbirds, ducks, small mammals, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, quail and black bears.
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- 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. - 80 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Oval
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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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
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The 1/2 inch long rounded acorns with a scaly bowl-like cap that is striated with brown and black bands. Acorns come singly or in pairs. Displays from September to November.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Yellowish-green male flowers as long pendulous catkins. Female flowers in short spikes. Blooms from March to April.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- 4-5 inch long green leaves are 1 inch wide and willow-like. Bristle tipped at the apex. Fall color is non-showy yellow-brown to red-brown. Leaves are simple, alternate, slender, smooth-edged and shiny light green above while paler below with visible venation.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- When young the bark is smooth and reddish-brown. It ages to gray-brown with shallow ridges and furrows.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Scaly
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Cluster of terminal buds
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Branches and larger twigs are light gray to medium gray and relatively smooth, while small twigs are pale brown and smooth with scattered white lenticels. Buds are ovoid, 1/4" long, sharp-pointed, with imbricate scales, and brown in color.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Naturalized Area
- Recreational Play Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Pollution
- Salt
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Problem for Horses
