White Oak Tree

Our white oak tree (Quercus alba) is a native eastern hardwood that can stand for several centuries. The Wye Oak in Maryland was over 450 years old when a storm brought it down in 2002. We ship bare-root white oak trees at 1-2 and 2-3 feet in packs of 25 to 1000, for landowners, land trusts, nurseries and contractors planting shade, timber stands or wildlife cover.

White Oak Tree Size, Zones and Sun

Forest-grown white oaks reach 80 to 100 feet. In an open yard the crown stays shorter and spreads wide, often as broad as it is tall. The tree is hardy in zones 3-9 and wants full sun. Young trees put up with some shade, but they lose that tolerance as they age. White oak grows best on lower, sheltered slopes with deep, moist, well-drained soil. It does poorly on dry, shallow ridges and in standing water.

Leaves, Bark and Acorns

Leaves have rounded lobes with no bristles, which is the quickest way to tell white oak from the red oaks. Fall color runs from red to brown, and some trees turn nearly purple. Young trees often hold their dead leaves all winter. The bark is light ash-gray and breaks into loose scales on the upper trunk. Flowers open with the leaves between late March and late May. A tree starts bearing around age 20, but heavy acorn crops wait until about 50, and good years come every 4 to 10 years. White oak acorns need no cold treatment. They sprout in the fall soon after they drop.

White Oak Wildlife Value

Turkeys, wood ducks, blue jays, squirrels, deer and black bears eat white oak acorns. Deer also browse the young shoots. The caterpillar Bucculatrix luteella feeds on white oak and nothing else. Trees planted in groups give the most mast. See our guide to white oak lifespan, size and uses for more on how the tree ages.

White Oak Wood and Uses

Tyloses plug the wood's pores, so white oak holds liquid and resists rot. That is why bourbon is aged in charred American white oak barrels and why the wood went into the hull of the USS Constitution. Quarter-sawn boards show a ray flake pattern, and Gustav Stickley built Craftsman furniture from it. On a property, the same strength shows up as a tree that carries a swing or hammock for generations.

Planting Your Bare-Root White Oak

A white oak sends down a taproot more than 12 inches long in its first growing season, so dig the hole deep and keep the roots straight. Plant while the tree is dormant, set it at the depth it grew in the nursery, and water it in well. Growth is steady rather than fast, with a ten-year trunk gain of about an inch and a half. Compare it with other species in our oak varieties comparison.

White Oak Tree Sizes, Packs and Shipping

White oak trees ship bare-root in November, in two heights, 1-2 feet and 2-3 feet, with pack sizes of 25, 50, 100, 500 and 1000. Volume pricing available. Browse more trees for sale in our wholesale collection.