Quercus alba - (image 1 of 5)
Taxonomy
Family: Fagaceae
Habitat
Woodlands.
Associates
Often with Carya ovata.
Distribution
ME west to MI and MN, south northern FL to eastern TX.
Morphology
Large tree with widely spreading branches; twigs soon glabrous. Bark light gray, shallowly furrowed, exfoliating in coarse flakes. Leaves 10-23 cm long, distinctly 3-5 lobed, the lobes rounded, sinuses narrow, lower surface pale and glaucous. Acorns sessile or on pedicels to 4 cm, the cup covering 1/4 or 1/3 of the 1.5-2.5 cm long nut.
Notes
Flowers mid April to early June
Wetland indicator: Facultative
The state tree of Illinois, Connecticut, and Maryland. The leaves of this species are cuneate at the base, unlike the English Oak (Q. robur L.) which has similarly lobed leaves but with cordate-auriculate bases.
References
Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY
Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.
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Michael Hough © 2005 |