LARGE DECIDUOUS TREES

Quercus bicolor Swamp White Oak - (kwer-cuss bi-cul-er)

ZONES: LEAF COLOR: Dark green in summer; copper to yellow-bronze or reddish in fall. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 SHOWY. HEIGHT: LEAF DESCRIPTION: SIMPLE, 4 to 6 long and 1 1/2 to 4 wide, distinctly obo- 40 to 60 vate in outline, crenate to dentate, usually shallowly lobed. Whitish pubescence be- neath. ALTERNATE arrangement. WIDTH: FLOWER DESCRIPTION: Monoecious, male in pendulous catkins clustered on 40 to 60 previous years growth, female flowers solitary in clusters in leaf axils of new leaves. FRUIT: Brownish. NOT SHOWY. NOT ORNAMENTAL. Acorn, usually 1 long, ovoid, EXPOSURE/CULTURE: Adaptable to soil textures, but requires acidic, usually or- light brown, covered by cup, ganic, soil that is moist to wet. Native to bottom lands and stream banks (swampy appearing in pairs. environment). Infrequent, but widely distributed. TEXTURE: PEST PROBLEMS: None serious. Coarse BARK/STEMS: Young stems reddish-brown and strong; older bark is dark gray- brown with very deep vertical fissures and ragged, partially exfoliating to reveal GROWTH RATE: lighter inner bark. Moderate. Long lived. SELECTED CULTIVARS: No cultivars. HABIT: SIMILAR SPECIES: Q. prinus - Chestnut Oak. Has similar, but larger leaves, Upright in youth; maturing to larger acorns. It grows in rocky uplands or mountain slopes. Does well on dry broad, rounded crown, strong soils. Q. michauxii - Swamp Chestnut Oak. Very similar to Q. prinus, but growing horizontal branching. in similar areas as Q. bicolor. FAMILY: LANDSCAPE NOTES: Swamp White Oak is a beautiful shade tree. It is faster grow- Fagaceae ing than Q. alba, White Oak, and it is a better choice for wet areas and lowlands. Damp areas in landscapes are often difficult, and this plant offers a choice for such areas.