Specimen record
White Oak
Quercus alba
Description
A long-lived, majestic tree that is one of the most important hardwoods of eastern North American forests. White oak can live over 400 years and develop a massive spreading crown. Its acorns are the preferred food of many wildlife species because they are lower in tannins than red oak acorns. The leaves have rounded lobes without bristle tips, which is the defining characteristic of the white oak group.
Identification tips
- 1Leaves with 7–9 rounded lobes without bristle tips (key white oak group character)
- 2Bark light gray, broken into loose, scaly vertical blocks
- 3Acorns with a warty, shallow cap covering about one-quarter of the nut
- 4Acorns mature in one year (red oaks take two years)
- 5Autumn color variable — wine-red, russet, or brown; leaves often persist into winter
Specimen & preservation notes
Press leaves showing the full outline of rounded lobes. Collect acorns with caps attached — dry them separately (do not press, as they are too thick). Include a bark photograph or rubbing for the herbarium sheet. White oak leaves are large — use full-size herbarium paper.
Habitats
Collection calendar
| Wk | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||||
| 2 | ||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||
| 4 |
Collection notes
Season check
Guide window is wider than observed records.
Flowering records: 4 iNaturalist observations, Massachusetts · Nearby: 1215 observations within 25 km