Water oak

Description

An ornamental oak tree, Quercus nigra, native to the southeastern United States. Water oaks grow primarily in coastal plains. They have glossy, blue-green leaves that turn yellow in autumn.

Synonyms and Related Terms

possum oak; spotted oak; Quercus nigra

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Medium tree growing to 25m
• Bark=dark gray with scaly ridges
• Leaves=variable (5-10cm) with 0 to 5 lobes.
• Fruit=small acorns (1 cm) with flattened cap, maturation takes two years

Resources and Citations

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "willow oak." Encyclopædia Britannica. 12 Oct. 2004 .

• Virginia Tech Dendrology website at www.fw.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/main.htm (accessed Oct. 8, 2005)

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998