White Oak
Quercus alba
native
The White Oak is a common native tree throughout Virginia, and Monticello Park has a lot of them. Many species of birds forage in White Oaks, and some nest in them. Hundreds of species of moth caterpillars feed on them, as do caterpillars of many butterfly and skipper species. Gall wasps, beetles, aphids, treehoppers, leafhoppers, and plant bugs also feed on the tree. The acorns are not as bitter as those from some of the other oaks, so they are eaten extensively by a variety of mammals. The wood is widely used, including for construction, shipbuilding, furniture, interior house finishes, wine and whiskey barrels, and musical instruments. The White Oak is the state tree of Maryland, along with Connecticut and Illinois. The Charter Oak of Hartford, Connecticut, is one of the most famous White Oaks in the United States, and an image of it is on the reverse side of the Connecticut state quarter.
Identification Tools
Illinois Wildflowers
Friends of the Wildflower Garden
Go Botany
Ranges
Return to the Index