Swamp White Oak

bare-root trees

Quercus bicolor 50-60' × same. Also called Bicolor Oak.

A massive rounded shade tree with a short deeply ridged trunk and a fan of branches, the uppermost ascending and the lower drooping. The contrast between the light grey bark and the dark trunk fissures is particularly striking.

Called Swamp White in recognition of its affinity for the wild low wetlands that once peppered eastern North America before the days of the parking lot and the Big Box. Called Bicolor because its large thick leathery lobed leaves have a glossy dark green upper surface and a white to greyish-green hairy felty underside.

Its large 1½" sweet acorns are highly attractive to wildlife, particularly waterfowl, sapsuckers and squirrels. Its yellow to reddish-purple fall foliage persists until spring. Prefers moist acid soils where drainage is poor, but exhibits excellent drought resistance as well. Very fast growing once established. Native to northeastern U.S. Z3. (1-3' bare-root trees)

Items from our perennial plants warehouse ordered on or before March 7 will ship around March 26 through late April, starting with warmer areas and finishing in colder areas. Orders placed after March 7 will ship around late April through early-to-mid May, in the order in which they were received.

ships in spring

7498 Swamp White Oak

A: 1 ea

$19.00

Additional Information

Oaks Quercus spp.

Many oaks are native to New England. They are generally divided into two groups: the reds and the whites. The reds have pointier leaves and the whites have rounder ones. Most of them make absolutely breathtaking shade trees, creating a major presence in almost any landscape and providing bountiful forage for wildlife and for humans. The strongly astringent inner bark, foliage and acorn caps are all medicinal, and acorns were an extremely important human food source for thousands of years. Contrary to much of the literature, all acorns are edible, both reds and whites. (For detailed instructions on acorn processing, see Samuel Thayer’s book, Nature’s Garden.) The tannins from a handful of oak leaves added to homemade half-sours will keep pickles crisp for months. Oaks are monoecious so you need only one to get fruit.