Quercus phellos, the willowoak, is a North American species of a deciduous treein the red oak group of oaks. It is native to the eastern and central United States from Long Island Sound south to northern Florida, and west to southernmost Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, and eastern Texas. It is most commonly found growing on lowland floodplains, often along streams, but rarely also in uplands with poor drainage, up to altitude. Willow oak's natural range extends into southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. The book Pennsylvania Trees, written by state chief forester Joseph Illick, records willow oak as occurring in Lancaster, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Philadelphia counties, chiefly on wet sites, occasionally in drier, upland ones. Much of that area has been built over and developed since World War II, and the tree is now classified as endangered in the state.
Description
It is a medium-sized tree growing to tall, with a trunk up to diameter. It is distinguished from most other oaks by its leaves, which are shaped like willow leaves, long and broad with an entire margin; they are bright green above, paler beneath, usually hairless but sometimes downy beneath. The fruit is an acorn, long, and almost as wide as long, with a shallow cup; it is one of the most prolific producers of acorns, which are eaten by squirrels and other wildlife. The tree starts acorn production around 15 years of age, earlier than many oak species. Willow oaks can grow moderately fast, and tend to be conic to oblong when young, rounding out and gaining girth at maturity.
Cultivation and uses
Economic uses are primarily as an ornamental tree and the wood for pulp and paper production, but also for lumber; it is often marketed as "red oak" wood. The willow oak is one of the most popular trees for horticultural planting, due to its rapid growth, hardiness, balance between axial and radial dominance, ability to withstand both sun and shade, light green leaf color and full crown. Despite being heavily used in landscaping in the Southern US around malls, along roads, etc., the trees tend to grow larger than planners expect, which often leads to cracked sidewalks.
Distribution and Occurrence
Willow oaks are most common in the American south and eastern states in the USA.
