Swamp White Oak

Quercus bicolor

Overview

The Swamp White Oak is the perfect tree for shade, growing at a rate of 1 to 2 feet per year, it can become as tall as 60 feet and live longer than 300 years.  This tree has dark shiny green leathery leaves with a cool white beneath and range from 3 to 7 inches long. In the spring, the Swamp White Oak produces long, spiky, cylindrical flowers; when fall comes around, acorns grow in pairs and leaves turn shades of yellow, bronze, and red-purple.  As the tree ages, its bark becomes ridged but keeps a light gray hue.

Cultivation

The Swamp White Oak thrives when placed in full sunlight within acidic, moist, well-drained, and water-saturated soils. However, it also can adapt to dry, average soils with a pH neutral to slightly alkaline. Additionally, it can withstand compacted soil and even some exposure to salt, so this tree requires minimal maintenance.

Biodiversity Sustained

The Swamp White Oak is home to many species of birds, thanks to it's spacious branches, and also houses many insects, fungi, and microorganisms. The acorns produced in the fall feed many animals such as squirrels, deer, and raccoons.

On Xavier's Campus, over the Next 20 Years, this Tree will:

Stormwater Runoff Intercepted: 9,680 gallons

CO2 Reduction: 2,258 lbs

Environmental Benefits (in US dollars) Over the Next Decade: $417