Tag: Willow Oak

Tree of the Month

September Tree of the Month

Willow Oak (Quercus phellos) isn’t native to Ohio, but it doesn’t miss by much – its range extends to neighboring Kentucky, and it can grow quite large in Ohio, given time. Like Ohio’s Shingle Oak (Q. imbricaria), Willow Oak leaves have no lobes and look nothing like the leaves we associate with Red Oak (Q. rubra) or White Oak (Q. rubra). But remember that leaf shape is secondary in tree classification. Fruits and flowers are primary, and Willow Oaks, Shingle Oaks, and all the other oaks have acorns. Notice, by the way, that one of the common names for Willow Oak is “Pin Oak”, a name more commonly used for Q. palustris. Such is the limitation of common names.