Quercus bicolor Swamp White Oak
General
A majestic white oak that grows up to 80’. Swamp white oak will tolerate both seasonal flooding and drought, and its acorns are a valuable food source for many animals.
Plant Description
Swamp White Oak has a dark brown, peeling bark, and a lighter inner bark. It has large, shiny green leaves with irregular wavy edges. The acorns of this tree hang from unusually long stalks for an oak tree, up to three inches in length. In the fall, swamp white oak leaves may turn fiery oranges and reds.
Height (ft)
60-80
Spread (ft)
50-80
Soil moisture
High
Soil types
Fine to Coarse, Moist, Nutrient Rich Soils
Wetland indicator
FACW+
Shade tolerance
Sun to Partial Shade
Bloom color
Yellow
Bloom period
Spring
Fall conspicuous
Yes
Anaerobic tolerance
Medium
Drought tolerance
Low
Salinity tolerance
None
Mono/dioecious
Monoecious
Distribution
Swamp White oak is native to the northeastern united states, in the northern southeast states, and the eastern Midwest states. Within New England, it is common in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, along the coast, and along the New York/Vermont border. It is native and rare in Maine.
Additional information
Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. North American Plant Atlas. (http://bonap.net/napa). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press) LINK
Brooks, Henry and Dame, Lorin L. Handbook of the Trees of New England. Ginn & Co., Boston, Massachusetts. 1901. LINK
Fergus, Charles. Trees of New England: A Natural History. Morris Book Publishing, LLC. Guilford, Connecticut. 2005. LINK
Grimm, William Carey. The Illustrated Book of Trees. Revised by John Kartesz. Stackpole Books, Pennsylvania. 2002. LINK
Peattie, Donald Culross. A Natural History of Trees of Eastern and Central North America. Bonanza Books, New York. 1948. LINK
Sternberg, Guy and Wilson, Jim. Native Trees for North American Landscapes: from the Atlantic to the Rockies. Timber Press, Oregon. 2004. LINK
USDA, NRCS. 2021. PLANTS Database (https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/, 08/20/2021). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA. LINK