NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Quercus phellos

Willow Oak

Scientific Name:	Quercus phellos
Genus:	Quercus
Species Epithet:	phellos
Common Name:	Willow Oak
Plant Type	Tree
Life Cycle	Perennial
Plant Family	Fagaceae (Beech Family)
Native/Alien:	NC Native
Invasive Status:	^(*Key)
Size:	72-100 ft.
Bloom Color(s):	Red, Yellow, Brown
Light:	Sun - 6 or more hours of sun per day, Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day
Soil Moisture:	Dry, Moist, Wet
Bloom Time:	March, April, May
Growing Area:	Mountains, Piedmont, Sandhills, Coastal Plain
Habitat Description:	Bottomland forests, especially on natural levees and second terraces, also in upland depression swamps developed on clay soils, weedy and successional on slopes and upland sites following disturbance. Common and widespread in most of the NC Coastal Plain and Piedmont; infrequent in part of the far eastern counties, though likely present in all of these counties. Absent to very rare in the Piedmont foothills and the southwestern mountains.
Leaf Arrangement:	Alternate
Leaf Retention:	Deciduous
Leaf Type:	Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like
Leaf Form:	Simple
Life Cycle:	Perennial
Wildlife Value:	Highest Wildlife Value
Landscape Value:	Highly Recommended and Available
State Rank:	S5: Secure ^(*Key)
Global Rank:	G5 - Secure ^(*Key)
Notes:	Often planted as a street tree.
Pyramidal shape when young, then becoming more rounded at maturity Orange County, NC Bettina Darveaux
Young sapling in late November. Leaves are very narrowly elliptic with entire margins and a bristle tip. Orange County, NC Bettina Darveaux
Slender willow-like leaves Orange County, NC Bettina Darveaux
Close-up of leaves Orange County, NC Bettina Darveaux
Bark on mature tree is dark gray with irregular rough ridges and furrows Orange County, NC Bettina Darveaux
Acorns are small (1/4 to 1/2 inch across) with a thin saucer-like cap that extends down to about 1/4 of the length of the acorn Orange County, NC Bettina Darveaux
Links:	USDA PLANTS Database Record