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Big City, Big Trees
3. Oak Circle
White Oak (Quercus alba)
| Native Habitat: | Eastern North America |
White oak foliage and acorns. Photo: Louis Buhle.
White oak is an American titan. It can grow to epic sizes, with individual branches extending 50 feet from the trunk. Extremely watertight and rot resistant, white oak was used to build the gun deck of the USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides." Today it is still an important hardwood timber in the U.S. and is used to make barrels, flooring, outdoor furniture, boats, and much more.
Notable Neighbors:
- 3A. Scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea)
- 3B. White oak (Quercus alba)
- 3C. Weeping beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Pendula')
- 3D. Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica)