White Oak Tree

White Oak (Quercus alba)

A white oak you plant today will likely outlive you, your children, and possibly your grandchildren. Quercus alba commonly lives 200 to 300 years, with some specimens passing 400 — which is part of why it's the oak people choose when they want to plant something meant to last generations, not just seasons. It grows 50 to 80 feet tall and wide, is hardy in USDA zones 3–9, and loves full sun. TN Nursery ships it bare root, Buy 1 Get 1 Free.

It gives its name to the entire white oak group and belongs to the beech family (Fagaceae), growing wild across nearly the whole eastern United States — Maine to northern Florida, west to Minnesota and east Texas. Foresters also call it eastern white oak or stave oak, the latter name a nod to its long history as the wood of choice for whiskey barrels.

Spotting a white oak

Look for leaves with 7 to 9 rounded, finger-like lobes and no bristle tips — the single clearest difference from red oak's pointed lobes. The bark runs light ash-gray in loose, scaly plates, quite different from red oak's dark, ridged bark. The acorns ripen in one season rather than two and carry a shallow, warty cap covering roughly a quarter of the nut.

A patient grower, a long payoff

White oak grows slowly to moderately, typically 1 to 2 feet a year while young, putting most of its early energy into a deep taproot rather than visible height. That root is exactly what anchors the tree for its multi-century lifespan. Acorn production starts around age 20, and wildlife — deer, turkeys, wood ducks, squirrels, blue jays — tend to seek out white oak acorns first, since they're sweeter and lower in tannin than red oak's.

Siting it right

Give a white oak full sun (6+ hours daily) and deep, well-drained, acidic to neutral soil. It handles loam and sandy loam well and tolerates drought once established. Because it's planted for the long haul, give it real room — at least 50 feet from the house — in a spot it can own for the next century without crowding.

Planting a bare-root white oak

Plant while dormant, late fall through early spring, keeping the taproot straight and the root flare level with the ground. Soak the roots for a couple of hours first, dig deep enough for the full taproot, backfill with native soil, and water weekly through the first summer.

Good neighbors

Pair white oak with bur oak or chestnut oak for a mixed oak grove, or add an eastern redbud at the canopy edge for spring color. For reforestation or wildlife plots, our white oak seedlings are priced for bulk planting. See more in our shade trees collection.

At a glance

Botanical name: Quercus alba
Family: Fagaceae
Mature size: 50–80 ft tall and wide, up to 100 ft in forests
Growth rate: Slow to moderate, 1–2 ft/year when young
Light: Full sun, 6+ hours
Soil: Deep, well-drained, acidic to neutral
Fall color: Red to burgundy
Zones: 3–9
Lifespan: 200–300+ years
Ships as: Bare root, 1–2, 2–3 and 3–4 ft
Notable traits: Exceptionally long-lived, sweet acorns for wildlife, deep taproot, drought tolerant once established

Questions people ask

How long does a white oak live?

Commonly 200 to 300 years, with some trees living past 400.

How tall does it get?

50 to 80 feet tall and just as wide in the open, up to 100 feet in forest settings.

When does it start producing acorns?

Around age 20, with heavier crops every few years after that.

Is white oak good for wildlife?

Yes. The acorns are a top fall food source for deer, turkeys, squirrels and wood ducks, and the leaves host many native caterpillars that feed nesting songbirds.

What zones does it grow in?

USDA zones 3 through 9.

About TN Nursery

Three generations of the same Tennessee family have grown trees on this ground since 1959. Our trees have shipped to projects at the Washington Monument and Arlington National Cemetery, and each white oak is dug while dormant and packed bare root so its taproot settles quickly. Want more? Read The Majestic White Oak Tree Characteristics and Towering Oak Trees and How They Help on our blog, or browse our native trees.