White Oak 

Quercus alba

Twentieth century naturalist and tree authority Donald C. Peattie wrote: “If Oak is the king of trees, as tradition has it, then the White Oak, throughout its range, is the king of kings.”
Astrong gentle giant the White Oak can reach 100 ft tall, up to 80 ft. wide and live for centuries!  Mature trees boast a stocky trunk with large horizontally stretching branches.
Their name comes from the whiteish underside of their leaves.  White Oak varieties tend to have rounder more lobed shaped leaves their more pointed cousin the Red Oak.  Leaves of deep green in the summer erupt to a showy display in fall in shades of browns to deep wine reds.  

The trees produce both male and female flowers together producing acorns that feed a host of forest wildlife.  Generally Oak trees begin producing acorns between 50 to 100 years old and produce them only every 4-6 years.  Due to the tannins acorns are not immediately edible to us without some processing.  Native Americans would leech the tannins from this oak fruit and grind it into flour meal.  

Also known as “stave Oak” White Oak was integral in barrel making.  Bourbon attains it’s amber tone and rich flavor from the White Oak.

Janka Hardness 1350