Willow

Willow oak is the oak that does not look like an oak, the narrow, unlobed, willow-like leaves create a fine-textured canopy that is more reminiscent of a willow than any oak you have seen before. The effect is graceful and lighter than the bold, lobed foliage of most oaks. It grows sixty to seventy-five feet with a pyramidal form when young, becoming rounded with age. The fall color is yellow to bronze. Native from New York to Florida and west to Illinois and Texas, it is one of the most popular street trees in the eastern United States.

In Western Washington, willow oak is less commonly planted than pin oak or red oak but grows well in full sun with moist, acidic, well-drained soil. It is faster-growing than most oaks and more tolerant of urban conditions. The fine texture makes it a good shade tree where a lighter canopy is desired. No significant disease or pest concerns are tracked in this region. For a large shade tree with the longevity and structural integrity of an oak but the refined, fine-textured foliage of a willow, willow oak offers a distinctly different aesthetic in the regional tree palette.