Scientific Name
Quercus bicolor
Swamp white oak is native to the northeastern quarter of the United States, especially in low-lying, wet areas, and ranges almost as far west as Kansas City, though it does not extend into the Great Plains. Despite this, it has proven very adaptable to our semi-arid climate and has become a valuable part of our urban forest over the past several decades. Its primary vulnerability here is alkaline soil, but it has performed well on many urban sites.
This is another long-lived oak, with the largest in Colorado reaching 76 feet, though most have not yet reached that stature. Its membership in the white oak group is evident from the rounded leaf outline lacking bristle tips. Rather than having pronounced lobes, the leaves have undulating margins. The acorn, maturing in one year, is considered by some to be the sweetest of any oak and may even be palatable raw, although taste can vary from tree to tree, year to year and person to person. Native people made extensive use of acorns for food; even the tannin-rich, bitter acorns of the red oak group could be made edible through extensive soaking, rinsing and mashing.
Swamp white oak leaves have an attractive feature: the upper surface is dark green, while the underside is finely felted and silvery white (hence the botanic name bicolor). This contrast can make the tree appear to change color when a strong breeze ruffles the leaves. In the fall, foliage color may be a combination of gold and red but can also sometimes be a disappointing yellow brown, depending on genetics, weather or growing conditions.