Quercus phellos

Find This Plant at a Native Nursery

FANN

Learn More About Plant Status in FL

FL Atlas

Willow Oak

Fagaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:Tree
Size:60(40) -75 ft tall by 40-50 ft wide
Life Span:Long-lived perennial
Flower Color:NA
Fruit Color:Brown
Phenology:Deciduous
Noted for:Fall color, Hurricane wind resistance

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:Shade tree. The root system is fibrous making it suitable for situations where the roots may get somewhat abused such as street plantings and parking lot islands.
Considerations:Fallen/falling acorns may be an issue.
Propagation:Seed.
Availability:Native nurseries
Light: Full Sun,  Part Shade
Moisture Tolerance:
always floodedextremely dry
 (Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Somewhat long very dry periods)
Moisture Tolerance: Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Somewhat long very dry periods
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance:Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon (major storms).
Soil or other substrate:Clay, Loam
Soil pH:Acidic

Ecology

Wildlife:
  

  • Acorns are eaten by woodpeckers, songbirds, ducks, small mammals, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, quail and black bears
  • Provides cover and nesting areas for birds and squirrels

    Insects:
     

    Host plant for the Banded Hairstreak, Edward's Hairstreak, Gray Hairstreak, White-M Hairstreak, Horace's Duskywing, Juvenal's Duskywing butterflies and many moths
    Native Habitats:Floodplains, hardwood swamp borders.

    Distribution and Planting Zones

    Natural Range in Florida
    USDA Zones

    Suitable to grow in:
    8A 8B 9A 9B 

    USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures

    Comments

    General Comments:The range of this tree barely makes it into north Florida. It is much more common in the remainder of the southeast.