American White Oak Vs. Spanish Oak
More than 60 species of oak trees are native to the United States. With so many types of oak, it can be difficult for the average home landscaper to distinguish one oak tree from another. The American white oak (Quercus alba) and the Spanish oak (Quercus texana) are two types of oak that grow wild in the United States. As a result, both trees make excellent landscape additions to many yards across the country. Does this Spark an idea?
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Mature Height
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Most botanists qualify the Spanish oak as a medium-growth tree, while the white oak reaches more stately heights. Though some Spanish oaks reach heights around 75 feet tall, the average Spanish oak tops out at a mature height between 35 and 50 feet. The white oak generally reaches taller heights than its Spanish counterpart with mature heights topping 100 feet.
Bark
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Bark characteristics also help individuals distinguish the Spanish oak and the white oak from one another. White oaks feature light gray bark with scale-like ridges. Gray to reddish-green bark covers the twigs and branches of the white oak. Spanish oak bark differs in color, ranging from darker gray to nearly black, and features long, flat furrows.
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Leaf Shape
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The leaves of oak trees feature similar ovate shapes with rounded or pointed ends, but with slight differences between species, leaf shape helps identify the specific oak. The Spanish oak's leaves feature an ovate shape with spiny growths on the end of each leaf lobe. In the autumn, leaves turn an orange or red color. The white oak features a wider shape, less pointed when compared to the Spanish oak with no spines on the ends of the leaves. In the autumn, white oak foliage turns reddish-brown.
Wildlife
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Both the Spanish oak and the white oak produce acorns that provide an autumn and winter food source for many woodland animals. The Spanish oak attract deer, scrub jays, turkey and squirrels. Many different woodland rodents and bird feed upon the acorns of the white oak. Both species bloom in the spring, producing flowers that attract birds and butterflies.
Hardwood
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Another difference between these two types of oaks comes with how the logging industry utilizes these trees. White oak provides some of the best hardwood produced in America, known for its strong, wide planks, according to University of Arkansas horticulturalist Gerald Klingaman. Commonly, white oak harvests produce flooring and furniture. Loggers consider Spanish oaks too small to produce viable logs and it's generally not used to produce flooring or furniture.
Buckley Oak
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Some individuals may mistake the Spanish oak (Quercus texana) for the similar Buckley oak (Quercus buckleyi) due to the fact both species use the name, Spanish oak. Other names for the Quercus texana include the Texas red oak and Nuthall oak. Both species feature similar leaf shapes, bark characteristics and mature heights, making it difficult to distinguish one from the other. Contact the local agriculture extension office for guidance if trouble identifying your oak arises.
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References
- University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension; White Oak; Gerald Klingaman; 2001.
- Texas A&M Aggie Horticulture: Texas Red Oak, Spanish Oak, Spotted Oak, Red Oak, Rock Oak
- National Arbor Day Foundation: Oak, White
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Quercus buckleyi
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Quercus texana
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Quercus alba
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
