Oak leaves and acorns; photo by tfengreen on Flickr (use permitted with attribution).
Official State Tree of Iowa
Iowa designated the oak as the official state tree in 1961 (oak is also the national tree of the United States). All State Trees
The oak tree was chosen because it is abundant in the state and provides shelter, food, and nesting cover for many of Iowa's animals and birds. It's difficult to find a tract of natural woodland in Iowa that does not have at least one species of oak tree.
Acorns (the nuts of oak trees) are a favorite food for wild turkeys, pheasants, quail, wood ducks, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, deer, bluejays, nuthatches, grackles, several kinds of woodpeckers, and other wildlife.
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