Common Name: Oak, Willow
Latin Name: Quercus phellos
Address: Bank of America, 1205 Long St (250W) near the Locust St exit
GPS Coordinates: 38.0368034,-78.4627173
The willow oak (Quercus phellos) is a medium to large, fast-growing deciduous tree in the beech and oak family (Fagaceae). A member of the red oak group, it is native to a broad region of the eastern, southeastern, and south-central United States. In its natural habitat, willow oak is commonly found along the edges of swamps, streams, rivers, and canals, where it thrives in moist soils.
Sometimes called “the handsome tree,” willow oak has long been valued as a landscape tree for its graceful, well-balanced form. It tolerates urban pollution and transplants readily. These qualities, combined with its relatively fast growth, have made it a popular choice as a shade tree.
Willow oak typically reaches 40 to 75 feet in height and 25 to 50 feet in width, developing an oval to rounded crown. Under favorable conditions, it can grow to 100 feet tall and live for many decades. Its fine-textured foliage and symmetrical, rounded form give the tree an especially attractive appearance in the landscape.
The tree is easily recognized by its distinctive leaves, which resemble those of a willow. Unlike the lobed or toothed leaves of many oaks, willow oak leaves have smooth, unlobed margins. They are bright green on the upper surface and paler beneath. The leaves are usually hairless, although some may have a slight covering of down on the underside. In autumn, the foliage may turn shades of yellow, orange-brown, and red-brown.
Willow oak also has considerable value for wildlife. Its acorns provide food for a variety of birds and mammals, making it an important component of wildlife habitat. The tree is reported to be toxic to horses.
Like many oaks, willow oak can be affected by insect pests. The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) has been recorded on willow oak. Although infestations have not generally been found to kill mature oak trees outright, heavy or repeated infestations may weaken trees and contribute to decline over time.
A Living Link to Jamestown
Willow oak also has a remarkable connection to early American history. Research on historic tree material recovered from the site of the Jamestown settlement suggests that the willow oaks growing on Jamestown Island today may be descendants of trees that were already growing there when English colonists established the settlement in 1607.
If this connection is confirmed, these trees represent more than an attractive and familiar species of the southeastern landscape. They may also preserve a living genetic link to the landscape encountered by the first permanent English settlers at Jamestown more than four centuries ago.