of New York 



67 



SWAMP WHITE OAK 



Quercus bicolor, Willdenow 



The Swamp White Oak is usually found in swamps, 

 about ponds, and along the banks of streams. In youth 

 it is rather attractive, but with advancing years it becomes 

 ragged and unkempt in appearance. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, 5 to 6 inches long. 2 to 4 

 inches broad, wavy- 

 toothed on margin, dark 

 green above, light green 

 and hairy on lower sur- 

 face. They are broadest 

 between the middle and 

 the apex. 



The flowers and 

 wood are similar to 

 those of the White Oak. 



The fruit is a long- 

 stalked acorn that ma- 

 tures in one season. 

 The acorns are about an 

 inch long and usually 

 occur in pairs. 



The bark on old 

 trunks is thick, grayish- 

 brown and breaks in 

 long deep furrows. On 

 the small branches it 

 sheds off in flakes like 

 that of the Sycamore. 



The twigs are stout, yellowish to reddish-brown. The buds 

 are about Y% of an inch long, blunt-pointed, smooth, red- 

 dish-brown. 



The Swamp White Oak is found from Maine to Mich- 

 igan and south to Georgia and Arkansas. It is common in 

 moist to wet places across New York south of the Adiron- 

 dacks and northward to Saratoga and St. Lawrence coun- 

 ties. Not reported from pine barrens of Long Island. Trees 

 3 to 4 feet in diameter and 80 feet high are not unusual. 

 The largest specimen of Swamp White Oak ever recorded 

 was the Wadsworth Oak which was 27 feet in circumfer- 

 ence. It was near this tree that Robert Morris and the Seneca 

 Indians made an important treaty in 1797. 



SWAMP WHITE OAK 



One-third natural size. 



