of New York 75 



WILLOW OAK 



Quercus phellos, Linnaeus 



THE WILLOW Oak takes its name from its narrow, wil- 

 low-like leaves. Other common names for this tree are 

 Peach Oak, Water Oak, Swamp Oak, and Pin Oak. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, 2 to 5 inches long, Yi to 

 1 inch wide, and entire along the margin. The mature leaves 

 resemble those of our common willows. 



The flowers .ire similar to 

 those of other oaks. 



The fruit is an acorn. The 

 nut is egg-shaped, about Yi to 

 1 inch long, sometimes striped. 

 The cup is saucer-shaped and 

 covers only a small portion of 

 the base of the nut. 



The bark is reddish-brown 

 and becomes shallow-fissured 

 and scaly. On young trunks it 

 is smooth and shiny. The 

 twigs are rather stout and be- 

 come SmOOth and Shiny and One-fourth natural size. 



reddish-brown in color. The 



buds are Ys to an inch long, strongly angled and sharp- 

 pointed. 



The wood is rather heavy, strong, coarse-grained, and 

 light-brown. It is used for fuel and for general construction 

 work. 



The Willow Oak is found along the coast from New 

 York to Florida and west to Kentucky, Missouri, and Texas. 

 In New York this tree is found locally on Staten Island and 

 rare on Long Island south of the moraine. 



Wet and sandy soil, swampy places, and stream borders 

 are the favorite home of this tree. It usually reaches a height 

 of 50 to 60 feet with a diameter of 1 Yi to 2 feet. Occasion- 

 ally specimens reach a diameter of four feet. It hybridizes 

 freely with other oaks, particularly the Red Oak. On Staten 

 Island are many interesting hybrid specimens of this tree. It 

 is an attractive ornamental tree. One of the most remark- 

 able Willow Oak trees known is the large specimen in Bar- 

 tram's Garden in Philadelphia. 



WILLOW OAK 



