Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Uses Of the Willow Oak

The Willow Oak is a great street tree. (Let's be honest it's just better than all of the trees. It it their Champion)  It is tolerant of Heat, drought, air pollution and standing water. It produces ample amounts of acorns which produce food for all of the cute woodland creatures.  It wood is used for Lumber, crossties, contruction and pulp.

The Bark is a powerful Astringent. Concoctions including the bark have been used to soothe Throat Infections, diarrhea and bleeding. Studies have show it also helps kidney infections. Why? Because it's awesome.

Leaves, Fruits and other stuff on this tree

The Willow Oak ( Quercus Phellos)


Willow Oaks are named for their leaves. The thin and entire leaves are similar to that of a Willow tree. Like most oak trees the leaves are also Pinnate meaning they are "feather-like" in that they sprout from both sides from a stem creating a look of plumage.


As for fruits the Willow Oak bears Acorns. On Male trees there are slender yellow-green catkins and on females there are short spikes. Flowering occurs from February to may, about a week before they bud.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Habitat, height and other stuff about this tree.

Willow Oaks are native to "the Coastal Plain from New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania south to Georgia and northern Florida; west to eastern Texas; and north in the Mississippi Valley to southeastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, southeastern Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Kentucky, and western Tennessee" 

(http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/quercus/phellos.htm)


The tree thrives in a humid temperature and in a place with hot summers and short winters. Willow oaks grow from a variety of soils and is found on ridges and near major streams. The tree does best in deep moist soils, often silty. mmm silty.

The Willow Oak is a fast growing tree and would beat your tree in a tree race. It grows 2 feet a year. Willow Oaks are 40 to 60 feet tall and the trunk can reach up to from 3-6 feet in diameter.