Quercus Species, North American Barren Oak, Black Oak, Possum Oak, Water Oak

There's a reason (actually tons of reasons) why you physically cannot buy this tree at any nursery in south Louisiana, and probably/hopef...Read Moreully most other areas in the hurricane belt. In fact, if you were to go and ask for one, the nursery owner would probably look at you like you had three heads. It's a notoriously short-lived, weak-wooded oak, usually topping out at 40-75 years. They put out an incredible amount of acorns, which sprout up in every potted plant in one's yard, usually due to being planted & forgotten by enterprising squirrels. The problem is that young W.O.'s are so beautiful (having much more elegant "posture" and bark and faster growth than the otherwise far superior Live Oak, Q. virginiana) that unknowledgeable homeowners won't cut them down, even if told bluntly how much of a menace it will soon become. It has been said that around 40% of the trunk is generally hollowed out by termites in mature Water Oaks, and glancing at the gaping trunk holes of many W.O.'s that have been cut down has borne this fact out to my own eyes. Or just go walking in any local swamp or forest and count how many toppled, fungus/termite-infested W.O.'s you see laying around. I'm sure various creepy-crawlies enjoy chilling out under the countless millions of W.O. trunks that lay prone in our nation's forests, but that's cold comfort for humans.

On a slightly more positive note, my parents have been told by their arborist that the specimen in their backyard is the oldest healthy one in the whole N.O. area. It was checked after Katrina and they somehow determined it to be over 100 years old. This of course would make it a mere adolescent Live Oak or Shumard Oak! I keep urging them to get it removed, but it seems to be pretty robust due to being surrounded on all sides by other large trees which block too much wind from hitting it. Plus, based on my knowledge of estimates from my brief experience working for a tree-cutting company, this tree would cost around $5000 to have removed. I get up on the roof and trim back some of the longer limbs with my pole pruner every so often in order to make the canopy more aerodynamic, and I notice lots of dead limb tips (a sure sign of trunk decay much further down the tree). This species is also notorious as mistletoe's favorite hangout (host), at least in this part of the world. Bare W.O.'s in the winter can be instantly identified from afar based merely on their green parasitic buddies, which often can weigh down weak limbs (is there any other kind with this tree?) and cause them to snap off.

There is absolutely no excuse to plant this tree in the South when such wonderful and infinitely durable (against wind, fungi, insects, etc.) alternatives as the Shumard Oak, Live Oak and Willow Oak exist. If you live far enough north to be out of ANY hurricane danger, I'd say this tree would have considered a borderline Neutral rating, but still closer to a Negative, and never under any circumstances a Positive. I wouldn't even want my worst enemy to have one in his or her yard, for the simple fact that when it one day falls over, it may hit one of his or her innocent neighbors.

Oh yeah, to top it all off, the fall foliage is an absolutely hideous yellowish-brown color not unlike that of a baby's vomit, and the leaves persist for quite a while before mercifully falling off.

I love Water oaks. Mine have been growing in z6b for over 20 years and have survived well through drought and freezes here. Even the earl...Read Morey April 07 freeze; though it was almost in full leaf it recovered very well the following year.
I haven't suffered the problems listed above. I have a few to sprout each year usually but pot most of them up and plant elsewhere on my property in the fall.
Maybe as they age I may eat my words :)

Very fast grower, and very messy. The leaves are lobe shaped and are very difficult to deal with. They get stuck in the tiniest crevice...Read Mores. They almost continuously drop limbs. Not a good specimen for a tidy landscape.

This plant has many many acorns and in sandy soil it's likely to set root at the drop of a hat.
I have pulled many that have alrea...Read Moredy sent a footlong taproot down to get started.
I have a minimum of a 55 gal barrel of them every year and when they cover the patio it's like walking on marbles.
It's too big to remove so I'll be living with it.
It does make a 150' canopy of shade.
Sidney

Water oak performs best in a forest setting, where it can develop a tall straight trunk and compact crown. When they grow out in the open...Read More, they tend to have large lower limbs that are prone to breaking under their weight. For this reason, I say Water oak doesn't make a good yard or street tree.

The leaves are very distinctive on this tree and do not resemble "normal" oak leaves. These are thinner at the branch end and are wider ...Read Moreat the outer edges. Leaves are dark green in summer and remain that way until winter when they turn brown (and often remain until spring).

This tree does not like urban settings. It has a beautiful rounded form and can reach anywhere from 60 - 100' at maturity. Good soil conditions are needed for proper growth (not too wet, not to dry, medium coarse soil).

In drought periods, the tree tends to become brittle and can drop large limbs easily. It does grow fast and it can be quite large. I ha...Read Moreve several that are near 60 years old.

A relatively fast growing oak. Good shade tree and wildlife habitat. Tends to be brittle and therefore drops many twigs and small branc...Read Morehes. Semi-evergreen; brown fall/winter foliage, if any. Good choice for open areas of low maintenance where a somewhat fast growing, large tree is needed. Native of the US Gulf and Atlantic coasts and the Lower Mississippi River Valley.