Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor Willd.)
Family: Fagaceae (Beech Family)
Common Names: Swamp white oak, Chêne bicolore
Status in Canada: Uncommon; southern Ontario and Quebec
Leaves
12–17 cm long, widest above the middle, tapering to a wedge-shaped base
4–6 veins per side ending in shallow lobes or teeth
Upper surface shiny dark green; underside pale grayish-green with soft white hairs
Fall color: yellow, sometimes with red-purple highlights
Buds & Twigs
Terminal bud: rounded, blunt, reddish-brown, 2–4 mm
Lateral buds diverging from twig
Twigs: stout, reddish-brown, usually hairless
Fruit
Acorns 20–30 mm long, solitary or paired, on long stalks (2–10 cm)
Cup with swollen scales, recurved tips, encloses 1/3–1/2 of nut
Acorns important food for wildlife (squirrels, birds, deer, beaver, black bear)
Bark & Form
Bark: light gray-brown, scaly, ridged; peeling with age
Tree: small to medium, up to 22 m tall, 90 cm diameter, ~200 years max
Crown: broad, open, rounded; lower branches often drooping, giving untidy appearance
Habitat
Moist bottomlands, swamp edges, river bottoms
Moderately shade-tolerant, tolerates seasonal flooding
Prefers rich, slightly acidic soils
Uses
Wood: furniture, flooring, veneer, cabinetry, casks, fence posts, shipbuilding
Wildlife: acorns feed mammals and birds
Native Uses: acorns eaten raw, roasted, or used as flour; galls for tannin/dye; medicinal uses
Quick Recognition
Pale, hairy leaf undersides contrast with dark green upper surface
Long-stalked acorns
Blunt buds
Lower crown looks untidy
Cultivation Notes
Best in full sun, moist to wet soils
Easy to transplant compared to other oaks
Susceptible to oak wilt; prune outside beetle-active periods (Apr–Jul)
Can sprout from stump if damaged
Fun Facts
Member of white oak subgroup; hybridizes with white oak, overcup oak, bur oak
Trees develop slowly pruning lower branches naturally