Stats

Lifespan

Up to 450 yrs

Size

Huge

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Temperate deciduous forest

Range

Eastern North America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Toxins

Status

Common

About

The white oak is a long-lived hardwood native to eastern North America, capable of living over 500 years. Unlike red oaks, its acorns mature in a single season and are a critical food source for dozens of wildlife species.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →
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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Fagales

Family

Fagaceae

Genus

Quercus

Species

Quercus alba