Quercus alba - White Oak

Quercus alba, commonly called white oak, is a large deciduous native tree. It typically occurs in dry upland slopes and ledges as well as lowland valleys and ravines. Grows to 50-80' tall in cultivation and taller in the wild. Pyramidal when young, but matures into a substantial tree with a wide-spreading, rounded crown. Insignificant yellowish-green flowers in separate male and female catkins appear in spring shortly after the leaves emerge. Fruits are oval acorns with warty-scaled cups. Leaves have 7 to 9 deep rounded lobes. Leaves emerge pinkish in spring, but mature to dark green. Variable fall color ranges from uninteresting browns to quality shades of dark red. White oak grows over much of eastern North America and is an important hardwood timber tree.