White Oak

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. Look at the abundance of acorns under your feet- the squirrel population at Rowan is well fed by these giant trees!

The leaves of the white oak turn red or brown during autumn. White oak trees provide shelter for small insects and cover for birds because the leaves often stay on even after they are dead and fall off during early spring. Please take a moment to pick up a white oak leaf, turn it over and observe it. The leaf should have rounded lobes, which is a feature of white oaks, in particular. Red oaks, which you can also find on Rowan’s campus, have pointed leaves.

White oak trees may develop certain diseases. One such disease is the oak leaf blister, which is caused by a fungus. It is identified by light green spots on the leaves, a distorted leaf shape, and blister-like areas on the leaf’s surface. In addition, trees in both the white and red oak groups are susceptible to a grouping of fungal leaf diseases called anthracnose.  If the weather conditions in the spring are cool and wet, anthracnose is more likely to spread. Leaf symptoms typically include brown spots or patches that expand outward to the leaf margins. Finally, oaks in both the white and red oak groups are also susceptible to bacterial leaf scorch, which is a disease spread by a bacterium that leads to branch mortality, leaf browning, and, eventually tree death. In fact, the iconic mature oak trees on Rowan’s south campus are being treated for bacterial leaf scorch so their lives might be extended while their successors have a chance to grow up and one day take their place.

If you  stroll around the Rowan campus across from the Chamberlain Student Center, you will pass many white oak trees. White oak wood is very hard and rot resistant. For this reason, humans use the white oak wood in various ways to make barrels for wine and whiskey, for construction, shipbuilding, martial weapons, furniture, instruments, and more. Native Americans have used white oak leaves to treat diarrhea, mouth sores, chapped skin, asthma, and cough. Please check out the resources below to help you learn more about the uses of white oak.

These resources are a product of Dr. Sara Wright’s Plant Diversity course in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Department. My name is Ayesha Akhter, and I will earn my Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences in 2022. I plan to pursue a career in the healthcare field. You can read more about me and the white oak tree below.