Scientific name: Quercus alba
Conservation status: Least Concern
Photos of different parts of the White Oak:
Characteristics to identify:
- 35 meters tall or more
- 7-9 lobes on its leaves
- 10-20 centimeters long
- Edges of each lobe are rounded
- Surface is a dull green
- Change colour to red/purple in the fall
- Bark is on a scale from white to pale grey in colour
- Lengthy scales on bark
- Has acorns
- Pale white in colour
- 1-2.5 cm in length
- Fall off the tree in the fall
Ecological importance of the White Oak:
White oak (Quercus alba), one of the most common trees in the eastern United States, provides a number of ecosystem services, including animal habitat and food, watershed health, and climate mitigation. White oaks are prolific mast producers, with some trees producing between 2,000 and 7,000 acorns each year, providing a significant food supply for species such as blue jays, black bears, and wild turkeys.The bark of the tree is flaky and has a large surface area. White oaks, more than any other woody plant in the region, provide habitat for more than 500 species of moths and butterflies, according to a study of the species in the Mid-Atlantic. White oaks are found to be waterproof so they can be used to make barrels for storing liquid.
The indigenous perspective of the White Oak:
The bark of the white oak is used to make medicine.The bark of the tree may also be used to produce a tea that can be used to treat arthritis, diarrhea, colds, fever, cough, and bronchitis, as well as increase appetite and improve digestion. Several NativeAmerican tribes used white oak to treat mouth sores, diarrhea, asthma, coughs and chapped skin. White oak was also used to make fever-relieving washes and antiseptics by numerous cultures. Some NativeAmerican tribes would gather over 500 pounds of acorns and store them for a year.The acorns were thought to be therapeutic by many Native American cultures. White oak bark includes tannins, which may aid in the treatment of diarrhea and inflammation
White Oaks in NorthAmerica:
ATHSC: Found in Oak Savannah
