February 4, 2026
I enjoy trees that I can identify by just looking at the bark. One of those trees, a White Oak (Quercus alba). Its bark on lower surfaces is a blocky pattern. On the upper surfaces there are overlapping thin plates of very pale gray, in an assortment of thin, flakey scales, arranged in a pattern that looks like vertical shingles.
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November 1, 2025
White Oak (Quercus alba), quite a large tree, reaching heights of 50 to 80 feet, sometimes reaching over 100 feet; and a width of 3 to 4 feet (or more) in diameter. The life span of this tree is 200 to 300 years, with some trees living to be much older.
During autumn, like other deciduous trees, White Oaks drop their leaves. But there are some of this species that exhibit marcescence, holding dead leaves until early spring. This can happen in young White Oaks retaining their dead leaves, or on the lower branches of larger trees, until spring. As spring approaches the new buds will push the leaves of the previous year off. Whether this happens or not may depend on genetics, local climate, or stress.
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October 23, 2025
It’s peak of the magical, colorful season of autumn, and participating in the event is a huge White Oak (Quercus alba) growing alongside the road coming up my mountain. Branches as big as a normal sized tree, twisting and turning to show off its brilliant contribution.
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