|
Maryland designated the white oak (Quercus alba) as the official state tree in 1941. Found commonly throughout Maryland, white oaks are large, slow-growing, and long-lived trees (some known to have lived for over 600 years).
White oak leaf in spring - photo by Photo Mark T. Widmer | Wikipedia
Native to eastern North America, white oaks reach heights of 60 to 150 feet, with trunk diameters between 3 to 4 feet. Their glossy, bright green leaves have rounded lobes (five to seven per leaf). In spring, new leaves display a pink color for about one week before turning to green.
At about 50 years of age, a white oak tree begins to produce acorns and may produce 10,000 annually. These acorns are sweet to the taste and they are a dietary mainstay for over 80 species of birds and mammals. Native American Indians ground acorns into flour, as did early European settlers.
It is very unusual to find a white oak with white bark; the usual color is an ashen to dark gray. White oaks produce durable and beautiful hardwood lumber with a fine, almost watertight grain.
|
