What is special about the white oak tree?
What is special about the white oak tree?
White oak trees are unique because they grow both male and female flowers. The male flowers range between two and four inches long and are green or yellowish in color, while the female flower appears slightly red in color. Acorns are actually fruit from the fertilized female flower.
Is white oak a good tree?
Quercus alba – White Oak. Fall color is brown to rich red. Superior shade tree. White Oak acorns are a preferred food source for many mammals and larger birds. The tree provides good cover for birds and mammals.
Where does white oak grow best?
White oak has the ability to grow on all upland aspects and slope positions within its range except extremely dry, shallow-soil ridges; poorly drained flats; and wet bottom land. It grows best on north and east-facing lower slopes and coves and grows well on moderately dry slopes and ridges with shallow soils.
How long does it take for white oak to grow?
A white oak’s growth rate is considered “medium”, growing between 1 foot and 1 and 1/2 feet per year. As trees mature at around 20 years, a 10 year old oak tree size, then could be anywhere between 10 feet and 20 feet tall, but this varies.
Why is it called white oak?
White oak trees get their name from the whitish color of the undersides of their leaves, distinguishing them from other oaks.
What animals eat white oak trees?
What Eats Oak Trees?
- Birds. The acorn woodpecker relies on oak woodlands on the West Coast and in the Southwest.
- Mammals. White-tailed deer forage heavily on acorns in the autumn.
- Grizzly Bears. Grizzly bears historically indulged in acorns on the West Coast and in the Southwest.
- Feral Hogs.
Are white oak trees valuable?
White oak is worth the effort. It’s a valuable species for wildlife, the quality of the lumber, and in the cooperage industry to make barrels for high-quality spirits or wine. It’s just a beautiful tree.”
How deep are white oak roots?
Most oak tree roots lie only 18 inches under the soil. They may spread, though, to occupy a space four to seven times the width of the tree’s crown.
How do you take care of a white oak tree?
The white oak prefers full sun, but has a moderate tolerance to partial shade. It is more shade tolerant in youth, and less tolerant as the tree grows larger. It can adapt to a variety of soil textures, but prefers deep, moist, well-drained sites. High pH soil will cause chlorosis.
What is another name for white oak?
Specifically, the name white oak refers to Quercus alba, also called stave oak, which is one of the more important timber trees of the eastern United States.