Quercus phellos

Habit: this deciduous oak grows into a dense rounded crown, with bark that is smooth and reddish brown when young, becoming rough and furrowed with age. The shiny light green leaves are very different from the typical oak leaf, appearing more willow like, slightly wavy, long and slender with smooth margins and having a bristle at the tip, and a pale lower surface . Flowers are inconspicuous; fruit is a squat acorn with reddish bristly scales on the cap. Leaves have yellow to yellow brown fall color.

Ecology: ranging from the East Coast of the United States west into Eastern Texas found in flood plains, along waters edge, and dunes as well as moist uplands, from seal level to 1300 ft (400 m).

Growing Conditions: full sun to partial shade, well drained moist to wet acidic soil. Tolerant of heat, drought, air pollution and standing water.

Willow oak’s fibrous root system makes it a good tree species to use in controlling soil erosion along margins of fluctuating-level reservoirs. Game animals and birds such as ducks, squirrels, deer, and turkey eat its acorns.