Willow Oak Quercus Phellos

Easily grown in average, medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates light shade. Prefers moist, well-drained loams but adapts to a wide range of soil conditions including clays with somewhat poor drainage. Generally tolerant of urban pollution. Hardy in Zones 5-9. Trees or seeds for planting in Zone 5 are best obtained from northern sources if possible.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Quercus phellos, commonly called willow oak, is a medium to large, deciduous oak tree of the red oak group that is noted for its narrow, willow-like leaves and relatively fast growth rate. It is native to portions of the south and eastern United States, from Long Island south along the Coastal Plain and north to the southern Appalachians and Ozarks. It is typically found growing in bottomlands and floodplains, as well as along rivers, streams, and ridges or high flats surrounding swamps and sloughs. Willow oak typically grows 40-75’ tall with an oval to rounded crown, but may reach 100’ in ideal conditions. Smooth-edged, bristle-tipped, narrow, green leaves (to 5” long and 1” wide) are willow-like. Leaves turn an undistinguished yellow-brown or dull gold in fall. Fruits are rounded acorn cups (to 1/2” long). Acorns can be an important source of food for wildlife. Insignificant monoecious yellowish-green flowers in separate male and female catkins appear in spring (April) as the leaves emerge. Dark, irregularly-furrowed trunks (gray to dark gray-brown) develop on mature trees.