Quercus alba

White Oak

Family: Fagaceae

Native region: Eastern and Central US, naturalized in South Dakota

Plant Community:

Size: 50-80′ tall and wide

Hardiness Zone: 6-9

Habitat: Found in floodplains (river or stream floodplains), forests, swamps, and woodlands. Adapted to a wide range of soil and drought conditions, but prefers rich, moist, acidic, and well-drained soil in full sun. Moderate resistance to ice breakage.

Leaf: Pinkish when young, then dark green, transitioning to brownish reds in the fall.

Flowers: Yellow greenish, blooming in May.

Ecosystem services: A generalist, good for areas of drought but also a range of soil conditions, including poor soil conditions that are prohibitive to other species like rocky soil, clay soil, dry soil, and shallow-rocky soil. It is sensitive to flooding, but can take brief saltwater submergences and salt spray. However, it is sensitive to fire injury, coal smoke, and fly ash deposit on soil surface, making it not a good choice to areas from to fire damage. Can be used in areas of cyclical flooding from saltwater sources.