White Oak (Quercus alba)

[ Trees > Hardwoods > Oaks . . . ]      Forest Type: Oak-Hickory

by Michael Kuo

Habitat: Typically on well drained soil (on ridges, high ground, and so on); often growing with other oaks or with hickories; growing east of the Great Plains.

Stature: 80-100 feet high; to 4 feet in diameter; with a rounded crown; branches large, heavy. Growing slowly, but reaching ages of over 500 years; in very old trees typically spreading laterally with huge lower branches and attaining trunk widths of as much as 7 feet.

Leaves: 5-9 inches long; with 7-9 deeply to shallowly carved, broad, rounded-off lobes; bright green and smooth on top, paler below.

Bark: Grayish; composed of loose plates; often with large, smooth patches (see illustration) resulting from attack by Aleurodiscus oakesii.

Acorns: Sweet; to 3/4 inch long; enclosed for about 1/4 in a warty/scaly cup; stem very short.

(References consulted)

Frequent Mushroom Associates:

Aleurodiscus oakesii; Amanita bisporigera; Amanita species 02; Boletus cf. reticulatus; Cortinarius torvus; Hydnellum spongiosipes; Hygrocybe psittacina; Laccaria ochropurpurea; Leotia lubrica; Marasmius sullivantii; Paragyrodon sphaerosporus; Phlebia incarnata; Polyporus alveolaris; many Russula species, including Russula variata and Russula virescens; Tylopilus rubrobrunneus; and many others.

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2003, August). White oak (Quercus alba). Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/trees/quercus_alba.html