White Oak

This is one of the largest trees of forests in the eastern United States. The tallest known in Ohio today is an 84-foot tree in Mahoning County. The distinctive bark is light ash-gray in color, and often fissured into scaly plates. The tree grows best on deep, well-drained upland soils. Still, it is found in a wide variety of habitats throughout Ohio, probably occurring in every county. The close-grained, strong wood is one our best for furniture and hardwood flooring. Native American Indians made flour from its acorns. Both Indians and early settlers boiled the acorns to make them more palatable. Many kinds of wildlife feed on the acorns as well.