White Oak

The white oak is a tall tree (80-100') that has widespreading branches and a rounded crown with the trunk irregularly divided into spreading and often horizontal branches. The leaves areelliptical (4-9" long, 2-4" wide) with 5 to 9 lobes. The leaves are bright green above with a whitish or grey-green color beneath. The leaves turn red and brown in the Fall and often remain attached throughout the Winter. The bark is light gray and shallowly fissured into long broad scaly plates or ridges. The white oak's edible acorns are 3/8"-1.25" long, egg-shaped, and about 1/4 enclosed by a shallow cap. This tree has been prized for its lumber which was used for many purposes but it is its use for barrel making that gave the oak its name of "stave oak."