Swamp White Oak is a majestic and beautiful tree that will thrive in low-lying, sunny areas that sustain occasional flooding and periods of drought. It is adaptable to drier areas and makes a great landscape tree.
Swamp White Oak is slightly shorter than the other oaks but has a wider crown. It is easily recognizable by its leaves, which have shallow lobes.
A haven for biodiversity, Swamp White Oak is a Keystone Plant because it supports hundreds of caterpillar species, which in turn feed the birds, amphibians, reptiles, game birds and so on up the food chain.
Swamp White Oak is among the few oaks (along with Pin Oak) that have a fiborous root system, which makes it easier to transplant. Fall color can be yellow to reddish-purple.
Oak, Swamp White
- Latin: Quercus bicolor
- Pollinator value: Medium
- Wetland status: FACW
- Mature height: 50-60 feet high and wide
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Moist; low-lying or swampy areas; adaptable to dry.
- Foliage: Deciduous, green and silvery (below). Yellow to reddish-purple fall
- Landscape: Suburban yards and city streets; low, moist areas; raingardens
- More information and native range here