Willow Oak Tree: Fast-Growing Native Shade Oak With Fine, Willow-Like Leaves
The willow oak tree (Quercus phellos) is a fast-growing native oak that reaches 40 to 75 feet tall, with narrow, willow-like leaves and an oval crown. Willow oak is hardy in USDA zones 5–9, grows in full sun to light shade and thrives in moist or wet soil. TN Nursery ships bare-root willow oak trees Buy 1 Get 1 Free.
Willow oak is a true oak, a member of the beech family, Fagaceae, and part of the red oak group. The common name comes from its slender, willow-like leaves. Gardeners also call willow oak peach oak. Willow oak grows wild from New Jersey and southern New York south to Florida and west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma, and north up the Mississippi Valley to southern Illinois.
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Botanical name: Quercus phellos, beech family (Fagaceae), red oak group
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Also called: peach oak
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Mature size: 40–75 feet tall and 25–50 feet wide
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Growth rate: fast, often about 2 feet per year once established
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Leaves: 2–5 inches long and less than 1 inch wide, smooth-edged, with a small bristle tip
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Acorns: small and round, about ½ inch, ripening in their second fall
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What ships: bare-root trees in 1–2 ft, 2–3 ft and 3–4 ft sizes, as Buy 1 Get 1 Free, Buy 3 Get 2 Free or 25-tree wholesale bundles
How Fast Does a Willow Oak Tree Grow?
A willow oak tree grows fast for an oak, often about 2 feet per year in full sun and moist soil once the roots settle in. The willow oak growth rate is one of the main reasons homeowners and cities choose willow oak for quick, long-lasting shade.
A young willow oak grows in a neat pyramid shape and rounds out into a dense oval to rounded crown as it matures. Typical willow oak growth in a sunny, moist site:
| Age after planting |
Typical height |
What to expect |
| Year 1 |
planting size (1–4 ft) |
strong new root growth |
| 5 years |
about 10–14 ft |
pyramid shape forms |
| 10 years |
about 20–25 ft |
useful summer shade |
| 20+ years |
40 ft and taller |
full oval crown and acorn crops |
What Does a Willow Oak Leaf Look Like?
A willow oak leaf is narrow and lance-shaped, 2 to 5 inches long and less than 1 inch wide, with smooth edges and a tiny bristle at the tip. Willow oak leaves are glossy green on top and paler below, and in spring the new leaves open with dangling yellow-green catkins.
The fine leaves give a full grown willow oak tree a soft, feathery texture unlike any other oak.
Willow Oak vs. Pin Oak: Which Should You Plant?
Willow oak and pin oak are both fast-growing, wet-site red oaks. A willow oak has narrow, unlobed leaves and a fine texture and grows best in zones 5–9, while a pin oak has deeply lobed leaves, scarlet fall color and grows in zones 4–8.
| Feature |
Willow oak |
Pin oak |
| Leaf |
narrow, willow-like, unlobed |
5–7 deep, bristle-tipped lobes |
| Zones |
5–9 |
4–8 |
| Fall color |
yellow to russet |
russet to scarlet |
| Crown shape |
dense oval |
pyramidal |
| Best region |
Mid-Atlantic and the South |
Midwest and Northeast |
For a northern yard or brighter fall color, see our pin oak trees.
Where Should You Plant a Willow Oak Tree?
Plant a willow oak tree in full sun to light shade, in moist, acidic soil (pH 4.5–6.5). Willow oak grows well in clay, loam and sand, thrives in low spots and floodplains and handles city streets, parking lots and occasional standing water.
Set a willow oak at least 20 to 30 feet from buildings, and space willow oaks about 40 feet apart along a street, drive or property line. A willow oak makes an excellent lawn shade tree, a classic street tree and a handsome tree for pond and lake edges.
What Grows Well With a Willow Oak Tree?
Moisture-loving native trees and wildflowers grow well with a willow oak tree. A bald cypress and a river birch share the same damp, sunny ground, and a red maple tree adds scarlet fall color beside the willow oak's russet. At the water's edge, blue flag iris and cardinal flower bloom in late spring and summer. Planting a wetland, duck habitat or reforestation tract by the hundred? Our willow oak seedlings are priced for bulk planting. Browse more quick-shade choices in our fast growing trees collection.
How Do You Plant a Bare-Root Willow Oak Tree?
Plant a bare-root willow oak while the tree is dormant, from late fall through early spring, with the root flare level with the soil surface. Water deeply right after planting and weekly during dry spells the first year.
At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, we dig each willow oak while dormant and pack the roots in moist material, so the tree arrives leafless, dormant and ready to plant.
- Soak the roots in a bucket of water for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Dig a hole twice as wide as the root spread and as deep as the roots are long.
- Spread the roots out and set the tree so the root flare sits level with the ground.
- Backfill with the native soil, firming gently, and water slowly until the soil is soaked.
- Spread 2 to 3 inches of mulch in a 3-foot ring, keeping the mulch a few inches off the trunk.
Planting & Growing Information
Botanical Name: Quercus phellos
Plant Family: Fagaceae (beech family), red oak group
Ships: Bare root, 1–2 ft, 2–3 ft and 3–4 ft
Planting Zone: 5–9
Height at Maturity: 40–75 feet
Spread: 25–50 feet
Growth Rate: Fast, about 2 feet per year
Sun or Shade: Full sun to light shade
Water Needs: Moderate to high; thrives in moist and seasonally wet soil
Soil: Moist, acidic clay, loam or sand, pH 4.5–6.5
Bloom Season: March–May (catkins)
Fall Color: Yellow, orange-brown and russet
Native Range: Eastern, southeastern and south-central United States
Care: Mulch the root zone and water during dry spells the first year. Prune in late winter before the buds break.
Plant Attributes: Fast-growing shade tree, fine willow-like leaves, wet-site and urban tolerant, acorns for ducks, turkeys and deer
Willow Oak Tree FAQ
Is a willow oak a real oak?
Yes. The willow oak is a true oak, Quercus phellos, in the red oak group, and the name comes from its narrow, willow-like leaves.
Does a willow oak grow in wet soil?
Yes. A willow oak thrives in moist and wet soil, handles occasional flooding and grows naturally along rivers, swamps and bottomlands.
What eats willow oak acorns?
Wood ducks, mallards, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, bobwhite quail, squirrels and woodpeckers eat the small willow oak acorns, which are about ½ inch across.
Is a willow oak a good street tree?
Yes. A willow oak is one of the most widely planted street trees in the Southeast because the tree grows fast, handles city conditions and casts dense shade.
What zones does a willow oak grow in?
A willow oak grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9.
Grown and Shipped by TN Nursery
TN Nursery has grown hardy native plants since 1959, more than 65 years of experience, and has supplied plants to major U.S. landmarks like the Washington Monument and Arlington National Cemetery. At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, we grow, dig and ship willow oak trees to yards, farms, parks and streetscapes across the country. Want to learn more first? Read Willow Oak Tree Planting and Care Tips, Towering Oak Trees and How They Help and 10 Best Trees for Shade on our garden blog, or browse our shade trees.
