White Oak

Quercus alba

Size: 3g Availability

Tree
Max size: 100’ tall x 50’ wide
Average size: 80′ tall x 30′ wide

Loam, Sand
Moist to Dry, Very Dry
Sun, Part Shade
Tolerant of Moderate Amounts of Salt Spray

This tall deciduous tree turns yellow and orange in the fall and has inconspicuous flowers in the spring. It is a specimen for its interesting bark that peels. In dense settings, it grows with a more narrow crown. The strong wood is considered to be hurricane wind-resistant. The acorns are edible if properly processed, and also provide food and shelter for a variety of birds and mammals. It is a larval host for brown duskywing butterfly (Erynnis horatius), the gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), and white-M hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album).

The bark of the oak can be used to make dyes and paints. The barks and galls have also long been used to create a permanent ink. The acorns can be eaten and used to make oil. Oak medicines are incredibly varied; they contain tannin, which has been shown to be antiviral, antiseptic, and antitumor; various Indigenous practices worldwide have ascribed medicinal uses to various parts of the tree.