Home > White oak

The White oak (Quercus alba) is one of the most magnificent of oaks. Normally not a tall tree, typically 30m tall at maturity, it nonetheless becomes quite massive and has been known to live over five hundred years. Some very large specimens can be found, the tallest known being 44m tall. This species lends its name to one of the principal groups of oaks, the white oaks, Quercus subgenus Quercus section Quercus; see the list of Quercus species for the other groups.

Its wood is the best and most valuable of the white oaks, although wood of most of the other white oaks may be marketed with it.

The White oak is fairly tolerant of a variety of habitats, and may be found on ridges, in valleys, and in between, and in dry and moist habitats, and in moderately acid and alkaline soils. The leaves are entire and variously lobed. Sometimes the lobes are shallow, extending less than half-way to the midrib, but sometimes they are deeply lobed, with the lobes somewhat branching. The bark is a light ash-gray and somewhat peeling, variously from the top, bottom and/or sides.

The acorns are long and thin relative to most oaks, and are a valuable wildlife food. Acorns of White oak were used by Native Americans as a food; they are not bitter like the acorns of red oaks. They also are a favorite food of turkeys, wood ducks, pheasants, grackles, jays, nuthatches, thrushes, woodpeckers, rabbits, squirrels and deer.

The White oak makes an outstanding shade tree, with an exceptionally wide spread and almost never dropping limbs. However, it does not tolerate urban conditions well, although it may thrive in residential neighborhoods.

It is sometimes confused with the Swamp white oakSwamp white oak Scientific classification : Eukaryota : Plantae : Magnoliophyta : Magnoliopsida : Fagales : Fagaceae Quercus bicolor Binomial name Quercus bicolor The Swamp white oak Quercus bicolor is one of the more important white oaks for lumber produ, a closely-related species, and the Bur oakBur oak Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fagales Family: Fagaceae Genus Quercus Species macrocarpa Binomial name Quercus macrocarpa Michaux The Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa , native to the midwes.

The Wye OakThe Wye Oak was the honorary state tree of Maryland, and the largest white oak tree in the United States. Located in the town of Wye, in Talbot County, Maryland, the Wye Oak was believed to be over 460 years old at the time of its destruction during a thu, one of the oldest living White oaks until it was felled by a storm in 20022002 is a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). 2002 was the first palindromic year since 1991 and the last until 2112. 2002 was also designated: International Year of Ecotourism and Mountains National Science Year in the United Kingdom, was the state treeThis List of U. state trees includes official trees of the following states and U. possessions: Alabama, Longleaf pine Pinus palustis Alaska, Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis Arizona, Palo verde Parkinsonia florida Arkansas, Loblolly pine Pinus taeda Califor of MarylandAlternate uses: Maryland (disambiguation Maryland ( In Detail) State nickname: Old Line State; Free State Governor: Robert L. Ehrlich Other U. States Capital Annapolis Largest City Baltimore Area Total Land Water % water Ranked 42nd 32,160 km² 25,338 km².