Tree Freatures: Water Oak – Quercus Nigrarange

Water Oak (Quercus Nigrarange) from Texas to Florida and North to New Jersey and into Illinois.

Water oaks are a red oak that is a consistent producer of acorns making an excellent tree as far as wildlife value goes. But its timber value is much lower than most other oaks.

If you are planting oak trees in your yard avoid any water oaks. They are hardy and will probably grow well but when they get older they are notorious for dropping limbs and losing tops.

Pictured above is a typical leaf of the water oak. Very similiar to willow oak, laurel oak and obtusa oak. Most people in the south call all of these species collectively pin oaks. Common names can cause quite a bit of confusion.