Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Quercus alba
White Oak
Quercus alba is the defining hardwood of the eastern North American forest, a broad, heavy-limbed tree that outlives everything planted alongside it and takes the better part of a century to look its best. Leaves with rounded lobes turn wine-red and russet in autumn and hang on young growth well into winter.
It is not a tree for hot arid regions and should not be offered as one. It wants deep, moist, slightly acid soil and a temperate climate, and its deep taproot makes it one of the more difficult large trees to transplant successfully.
Specifications
- Height20 to 30 metres
- Width20 to 30 metres
- Native toEastern North America
- FoliageLeaves with rounded lobes, turning wine-red and russet in autumn; deciduous
- Growth rateSlow
Conditions
- SoilRequires deep, moist, well-drained, slightly acid soil; dislikes shallow, alkaline or compacted ground
- LightFull sun
- WaterModerate; needs reliable soil moisture and is not drought-hardy in the way several other oaks are
- ClimateThrives in temperate regions with cold winters and reliable rainfall
Additional Features
- UsesParkland, estate and campus planting on large sites, and long-term legacy planting
- SpacingPlant 15 to 20 metres apart; the crown eventually spreads as wide as the tree stands tall
- Low MaintenanceFormative pruning only; established trees need almost nothing
- Pest ResistanceGenerally robust, though oak wilt and gall wasps occur through parts of its native range
- FruitAcorns are borne from about twenty years of age and mature within a single season
- Wildlife AttractionAcorns and foliage support an exceptional range of insects, birds and mammals
- LongevityIndividual trees commonly live 200 to 300 years and sometimes considerably longer
- Seasonal AppealWine-red and russet autumn colour, held late into the season
The White Oak is a legacy tree for temperate parkland, planted for the century after next rather than for the opening ceremony.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 09 September 2026