Description

Leaves: Alternate; simple; 4" to 7" long; deciduous; coarsely serrate margin with sharp teeth; thick; petiole 1" to 1-1/4" long.

Twigs/buds: Twigs green initially, but turn grayish-brown to orange-brown; hairless; thin.  Buds light reddish-brown or orangish-brown, almost hairless; 1/8" long, cone-shaped; terminal buds egg-shaped and pointed.

Flowers/fruit: Monoecious.  Fruit an acorn; short-stalked; 1/2" to 3/4" long, chestnut-brown to dark brown; shallow cap with hairy scales encloses 1/2 of the acorn; matures in one season.

Bark: Light gray to whitish, thin; furrowed roughly or scaly.

Wood: Moderately important; similar to Q. alba; a member of the white oak group which has the following characteristics: heartwood gray-brown, pores usually plugged with tyloses or bubbles, resistant to decay; sapwood almost white; heavier than red oak; used for lumber, veneer, railroad ties, mine timbers, cooperage (barrels and tubs), fence posts, fuel, planking and parts of boats and ships, furniture, flooring, pallets, millwork, and agricultural implements.

General: Native to most of the eastern half of the U.S. east of the Great Plains.  Typically found on dry, wooded sites.  Intermediate shade tolerance.

Landscape Use: This is another good, introduced oak worth planting more in Utah.  It makes an attractive specimen or can be planted in groups of a few to many in yards, parks, or along streets.  Fairly nice yellow to orange-brown fall color.  It is seldom planted here and will not be easy to find, but is worth the effort.  Zones 4-7.

Comments & Limitations:  Acorns can be a nuisance.

Characteristics