Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language

Search
npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Native Plant Society of Texas

White Oak

Quercus alba

Other common name(s):

Northern White Oak, Eastern White Oak, Stave Oak, Ridge White Oak, Forked-leaf White Oak

Family:

Fagaceae (Beech Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

80
to
100
ft.

Spread

60
to
80
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Poor Drainage, Moist, Dry

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Red, Yellow, Green, Brown

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Fall Color, Nuts, Nectar, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals

Maintenance

Slow growing and long-lived. Do not plant in shade, areas of poor drainage, or alkaline soil. Old trees are sensitive to construction disturbance in their root zone and to planting turf around a tree on what had been a forest duff ground cover. If necessary, prune for shape. It is in the white oak group and therefore less susceptible to oak wilt. Propagation: seed.

Comments

Blooms March-May. The classic eastern oak, with widespread branches and a rounded crown. The trunk is irregularly divided into spreading, often horizontal, stout branches. Emerging spring leaves are pink, deeply lobed with age. Large, attractive lobed leaves turn dark red in fall without frost. Tiny flowers clustered on catkins. The fruit is an acorn. Larval host: Edwards Hairstreak Butterfly.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Quercus alba var. subcaerulea, Quercus alba var. subflavea

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48. 3) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 339. 4) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUAL. 5) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Quercus+alba&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 6) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=12042&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 7) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=19290#null

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment Best if sown immediately, in cool weather, as acorns lose viability quickly in storage. Plant outdoors directly in soil or in deep containers to accommodate long initial taproot. They sprout immediately without dormancy period. Oak seedling establishment is best on loose soil because the radicle cannot penetrate excessively compact surfaces. A humus layer is especially important because it keeps the soil surface loose and porous and because it mechanically supports the acorn as the radicle penetrates the soil Best quality acorns are picked or shaken from the tree. Collect when color has changed to brown. Acorns lose viability quickly in storage. 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUAL 2) https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/quercus/alba.htm#:~:text=Sound%20white%20oak%20acorns%20have,penetrates%20the%20soil%20(28).
Softwood Cutting Cutting type: stem tip, Time of year to take cuttings: Summer Cutting maturity: semi-hardwood Rooting hormone: IBA TALC 16000 PPM Rooting environment: intermittent mist Soil temperature for best rooting: 70-80 degrees F Time to rooting: 10-12 weeks Comment: Juvenile cuttings need to be pencil size. https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/database/lppi/sp315.shtml#:~:text=Time%20of%20year%20to%20graft,Scions%20should%20be%20pencil%20size.

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason