White Oak
Researched by Ayesha Akhter
Species:Â Quercus alba
Common name: White Oak, stave oak, chêne blanc, fork-leaf oak
Family:Â Fagaceae (Beech & Oak Family)
Clade:Â Angiosperms (flowering seed plants)
Coordinates: 39.70743674, -75.11751104
A tag using this number is placed near the tree.
White oaks are among the major oak species in hardwood forests across eastern and southern North America. Growing up to 100 feet tall, they thrive in moist, well-drained soils and temperate seasonal climates. They are common in many states in the eastern half of the United States, including New Jersey, and are the second most common tree on Rowan’s Glassboro campus, after the Eastern white pine. The lifespan of a white oak can be 300 years.
Individual white oak trees have separate male and female flowers. Male flowers produce pollen, whereas female flowers produce eggs fertilized by sperm once the flowers are pollinated. Fertilized eggs develop into embryos encased in seeds that eventually become acorns. An acorn is a seed that forms after the oak tree’s flowers have been pollinated. White oak trees are primarily wind-pollinated, but they can also be self-pollinated. As a result, different species of oak trees can hybridize and produce fertile offspring with characteristics of both parent species. Sexual maturity begins at around 20 years of age, but trees do not produce large crops of acorns until year 50, and the amount of acorns produced varies from year to year. Acorns are a significant food source for rodents. Read More
Campus Species Map
Researcher’s Biography
Ayesha Akhter
Ayesha Akhter earned her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences in 2022.Â
Suggested Citation:
Akhter, Ayesha. (2021, Dec). White Oak. Rowan University Arboretum. https://arboretum.rowan.edu/trees/white-oak/
Questions to Explore
- What site factors influence the growth of the white oak tree?
- What role did white oak trees play in U.S. History?
- Where is the oldest white oak tree, and what helped it survive?
- Why do white oak trees resist pollution and pests?
- How does the white oak tree positively influence a local ecology?
- After exploring the White Oak trees on campus, what can be determined based on the tree’s size and likely age?
- How did native people use the White Oak tree for ailments?
- How did native people likely use White Oak trees for navigation (explore keywords: bent tree trail markers)?
References
Ober, H. K. & Minogue, P. J. (2014). Managing oaks to produce food for wildlife. WEC249 Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. | LinkÂ
Ober, H. K. (2020, November 3). The Value of Oaks to Wildlife. | Link
Rogers, R. (2021, November 5). Quercus alba L. USDA Fact Sheet. | Link
Quercus alba. Fire Effects Information System. |Â Link
White Oak. NatureServe Explorer. | Link
Taib, M., Rezzak, Y., Bouyazza, L., & Lyoussi, B. (2020). Medicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Activities of Quercus Species. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2020, 1920683. | LinkÂ
Zhang, B., Cai, J., Duan, C. Q., Reeves, M. J., & He, F. (2015). A review of polyphenolics in oak woods. International journal of molecular sciences, 16(4), 6978–7014. | Link
Rowan Univeristy Resources
You may need to log into the Rowan Universty Library website
Appalachian white oak basketmaking- handing down the basket |Â Link
Effects of fertilization and crown release on white oak (Quercus alba) masting and acorn quality | Link
Changes in white oak (Quercus alba) phytochemistry in response to periodical cicadas: Before, during, and after an emergence |Â Link