Quercus alba aka White Oak

Quercus alba, commonly known as the white oak, is a prominent hardwood native to eastern and central North America. This long-lived tree is found from Minnesota, Ontario, Quebec, and southern Maine, all the way down to northern Florida and eastern Texas. While it is called a white oak, its bark is typically a light grey color, rather than white. The name comes from the color of its finished wood. In the forest, the white oak can grow to a magnificent height, while in open areas, it develops into a massive tree with a broad crown and large branches extending at wide angles. The white oak is a large and vigorous deciduous tree that starts with a pyramidal shape when young and matures into a wider tree with a rounded crown. Its bark is greyish-white, and in spring, it produces inconspicuous yellow-green catkins before the foliage emerges. The leaves initially appear pink and later change to dark green, turning reddish-brown in the autumn. During this season, brown acorns also appear. Typically reaching heights of 80 to 100 feet at maturity, the white oak can have a massive canopy, with lower branches extending far out like a parallel to the ground. In a forest setting, these trees can grow much taller compared to those in open areas, which tend to be shorter and more compact. The Mingo Oak, the tallest recorded white oak, stood at 145 feet before it was felled in 1938. Interestingly, white oak trees can be as wide as they are tall, although those growing at higher altitudes may only grow into small shrubs.