Willow Oak

Willow Oak    (Pin Oak, Peach Oak)    Quercus phellos L.

Mature Size: 50 to 80 feet, 1 to 21⁄2 feet in diameter

Form: Oblong crown with many slender branches; some dead lower branch stubs may persist. 

Where to Find Them: Lowlands, river and swamp borders, and rich, sandy uplands

Leaves: Alternate, simple, 2 to 5 inches long, narrow, smoothed-edged, tipped with a bristle

Fruit and Seeds: Acorn, 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch, and tan; cap is thin, flat, and scaly, covering one fourth of the acorn

Wildlife use: The tree produces good acorn crops, making it a valuable and dependable wildlife food source.  Like the pin oak, willow oak is often found near streams and wetlands, making the acorns available to waterfowl, especially wood ducks and mallards.

Bark:  Bark of young trees is smooth and reddish-brown; older trunks are darker brown to nearly black, slightly rough, and divided by narrow ridges.