White Oak

White Oak
a town in central Maryland, near Washington, D.C. 13,700.

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 any member of a group or subgenus (Leucobalanus) of North American ornamental and timber shrubs and trees of the genus Quercus in the beech family (Fagaceae). White oaks have smooth, bristleless leaves, sometimes with glandular margins, and acorns with sweet-tasting seeds that mature in one season. bur oak and chestnut oak (qq.v.) are members of this group.

      Specifically, the name white oak refers to Quercus alba, also called stave oak, which is one of the more important timber trees of the eastern United States. It is 18 to 45 m (60 to 150 feet) tall, with pale-gray, shallowly fissured, scaly bark. The glossy, bright green leaves, about 23 cm (9 inches) long and narrow toward the base, are divided almost to the midrib into seven or nine lobes; they turn wine red in autumn.

      The Arizona white oak (Q. arizonica), which is about 18 m (60 feet) tall, is found in the southwestern United States on the slopes of canyon walls, at altitudes from 1,500 to 3,000 m (5,000–10,000 feet). Its narrow leaves are about 8 cm (3 inches) long and persist for one year.

      The shrubby Gambel oak (Q. gambelii) may reach 4.5 m (15 feet) tall. The California white oak (Q. lobata), also called valley oak, is an ornamental and shade tree, often 30 m (100 feet) tall. It has graceful, drooping branches, many-lobed dark green leaves, and distinctive acorns about 5 cm (1.7 inches) long. The ash-gray to light-brown bark, slightly orange-tinted, is fissured into irregular cubes. The Oregon white oak (Q. garryana), sometimes shrubby but often more than 24 m (80 feet) tall, has widespreading branches; it is an important timber tree of the Pacific coastal region.

      Other timber trees of the white oak group include the chinquapin oak, or yellow chestnut oak (Q. muehlenbergii), a tree scattered throughout its range; the overcup oak, or swamp post oak (Q. lyrata), the acorn of which is nearly covered by a deep cup; and the post oak (Q. stellata), the leaves of which have square-shaped central lobes. The dwarf chinquapin oak, or dwarf chestnut oak (Q. prinoides), is a shrub that forms dense thickets; it is a useful cover plant on dry, rocky ridges.

      Many trees of the white oak group have acorns that germinate soon after they fall and are killed by cold before they can take root. Gray squirrels spread white oaks by carrying acorns to other sites and burying them. A decline in white oak reproduction is often associated with a decreasing squirrel population.

      Timber from all members of the group is known as “white oak” in the lumber trade.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • White Oak — White Oak, NC U.S. Census Designated Place in North Carolina Population (2000): 304 Housing Units (2000): 120 Land area (2000): 4.879721 sq. miles (12.638419 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000):… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • White Oak — may refer to:* White oaks, trees in the section Quercus of the Quercus genusPlaces in the United States: * White Oak, Georgia * White Oak, Kentucky * White Oak, Maryland * White Oak, Missouri * White Oak, North Carolina * White Oak, Ohio * White… …   Wikipedia

  • White Oak — ist die Bezeichnung mehrerer Orte in den USA: White Oak (Alabama) White Oak (Georgia) White Oak (Iowa) White Oak (Maryland) White Oak (Mississippi) White Oak (Missouri) White Oak (North Carolina) White Oak (Ohio) White Oak (Pennsylvania) White… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • White oak — White White (hw[imac]t), a. [Compar. {Whiter} (hw[imac]t [ e]r); superl. {Whitest}.] [OE. whit, AS. hw[imac]t; akin to OFries. and OS. hw[=i]t, D. wit, G. weiss, OHG. w[=i]z, hw[=i]z, Icel. hv[=i]tr, Sw. hvit, Dan. hvid, Goth. hweits, Lith.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • White Oak, MD — U.S. Census Designated Place in Maryland Population (2000): 20973 Housing Units (2000): 8139 Land area (2000): 4.979240 sq. miles (12.896173 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 4.979240 sq. miles (12 …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • White Oak, NC — U.S. Census Designated Place in North Carolina Population (2000): 304 Housing Units (2000): 120 Land area (2000): 4.879721 sq. miles (12.638419 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 4.879721 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • White Oak, OH — U.S. Census Designated Place in Ohio Population (2000): 13277 Housing Units (2000): 5464 Land area (2000): 4.094482 sq. miles (10.604660 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 4.094482 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • White Oak, PA — U.S. borough in Pennsylvania Population (2000): 8437 Housing Units (2000): 3821 Land area (2000): 6.667331 sq. miles (17.268306 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.032559 sq. miles (0.084328 sq. km) Total area (2000): 6.699890 sq. miles (17.352634 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • White Oak, TX — U.S. city in Texas Population (2000): 5624 Housing Units (2000): 2118 Land area (2000): 9.086546 sq. miles (23.534045 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.049323 sq. miles (0.127746 sq. km) Total area (2000): 9.135869 sq. miles (23.661791 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • white oak — white′ oak′ n. 1) pln any of a group of oak trees characterized by leaves with round lobes and acorns that mature in one season, as Quercus alba, of E North America Compare red oak 2) the hard, durable wood of any of these trees • Etymology:… …   From formal English to slang

  • white oak — n. 1. any of a number of oaks having leaves with rounded lobes, acorns that mature in one season, whitish or grayish bark, and hard, impervious wood; esp., the American white oak ( Quercus alba) of E North America 2. the wood of any such tree,… …   English World dictionary

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