Botanical Name: Quercus bicolor
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Common Name: Swamp White Oak  
Plant photo of: Quercus bicolor
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Water Saving Tip:

Change spray sprinklers to low-flow bubbler or drip systems. Shrubs and trees are ideal candidates for this type of irrigation because the water is applied directly to the root zones.

  • Anatomy

  • Culture

  • Design

Plant Type

Tree

 

Height Range

40-60'

 

Flower Color

Yellow

 

Flower Season

Spring

 

Leaf Color

Dark Green

 

Bark Color

Brown

 

Fruit Color

Brown

 

Fruit Season

Summer, Fall, Persistent

Information by: Stephanie Duer
Photographer:
  • Description

  • Notes

Swamp white oak is a medium sized, deciduous tree with a broad, rounded crown and low branching habit, typically growing at a moderate rate to a height of 50 to 60 feet tall and wide. Leaves are dark, shiny green above and silvery white beneath, with rounded lobes or blunt teeth along the margins. Fall color is yellow, but sometimes reddish purple. Insignificant flowers in separate male and female catkins in spring. Fruits are acorns which mature in early fall. Native to the Missouri River Valley and Midwest, it is found in moist to swampy locations in bottomlands and lowlands, such as along streams and lakes, valleys, floodplains, and at the edge of swamps, though it has surprisingly good drought resistance, especially when planted in clay soils.