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Swamp White Oak

Quercus bicolor

Swamp white oak is one of the best native shade trees for wet or poorly drained ground, with lustrous two-toned leaves and handsome peeling bark. Fast-growing, long-lived, and a powerhouse caterpillar host.

Family
Fagaceae
Type
tree
Lifespan
perennial
Height
50–70 ft
Spacing
50–70 ft apart
Light
sun
Soil moisture
moist, wet
Soil pH
acidic, neutral
Bloom
April, May
Bloom colors
yellow, green, brown
Wildlife value
songbirds, mammals, larval host
Caterpillar hosts
~557 butterfly & moth species
Landscape uses
specimen, rain garden
Native states
CT, DC, DE, IA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV