Willow Oak in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (2/25/2017).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Brighton MBP List

Willow Oak at Fort Smallwood Park, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/5/2012).

View Record Details Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

Willow Oak at Fort Smallwood Park, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/5/2012).

Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

New leaf growth on a Willow oak in Sussex Co., Delaware (6/23/2012).

Photo by Jim Brighton MBP List

Willow Oak in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/1/2011).

View Record Details Photo by Bill Harms MBP List

Willow Oak in Dorchester Co., Maryland (5/15/2018).

View Record Details Photo by Wayne Longbottom MBP List

The bark of a Willow Oak in Sussex Co., Delaware (6/23/2012).

Photo by Jim Brighton MBP List

Willow Oak in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/31/2010).

View Record Details Photo by Bill Harms MBP List

Willow Oak in Cecil Co., Maryland (9/5/2019).

View Record Details Photo by Georgia McDonald MBP List

Willow Oak blooming in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/16/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Robert Ferraro MBP List

Willow Oak acorns, leaves, and trunk in Dorchester Co., Maryland (9/15/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Jane Hill MBP List

A Willow Oak in Kent Co., Maryland (9/25/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Dan Small MBP List

A Willow Oak in Howard Co., Maryland (7/25/2015).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Wilkinson MBP List

Emerging leaves of Willow Oak in spring on Chino Farms, Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (4/27/2013).

View Record Details Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

Willow Oak (emerging leaves) in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/17/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

Flowers and emerging leaves of Willow Oak at Fort Smallwood Park, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/17/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

Willow Oak growing in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (11/27/2019).

View Record Details Photo by Matthew Beziat MBP List

Willow Oak in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (11/19/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Matthew Beziat MBP List

Winter view of Willow Oak in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (3/4/2011).

View Record Details Photo by Bill Harms MBP List

Willow Oak leaves in Worcester Co., Maryland (2/20/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Brighton MBP List

Willow Oak in Baltimore Co., Maryland (10/18/2018). (c) Dwight Johnson, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 314740 - Psn: 200)

View Record Details Photo by Dwight Johnson MBP List

Willow Oak in Prince George's Co., Maryland (1/5/2020).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Brighton MBP List

Map Snapshot

705 Records

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Status

A member of the Red Oak Group, Willow Oak is basically a southern tree, occurring on the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains from New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania to Georgia and northern Florida; west to east Texas; and north in the Mississippi River valley to southern and lower midwestern states.

Description

A medium to large tree, Willow Oak is long-lived, grows rapidly, and has heavy acorn production. The leaves are narrow, resembling willow leaves, with bristle tips, which are characteristic of oaks in the Red Oak Group. Young bark is smooth and dark gray; older bark has deep furrows and rough ridges. Acorns are small, about 1 centimeter long, brown with faint stripes, and the cup is shallow and saucer shaped.

Where To Find

Common on Maryland's Coastal Plain but planted as an ornamental tree outside the Coastal Plain. Look in well-drained floodplain forests, swamps, flatwoods, and ponds. It also grows in mesic upland forests and early-successional forests.

Relationships

Willow Oak's small acorns are an important food source for wildlife, such as Rusty Blackbird, which forages in wet woodland areas such as Willow Oak inhabits.

Seasonality Summary

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Resources

View at iNaturalist Search Google Images Search MBP Facebook posts

View at Maryland Plant Atlas Search Flora of North America Search Mid-Atlantic Herbaria Consortium Search Norton-Brown Herbarium Search MNPS Facebook posts

Citations

No citations linked for this taxon yet.

Use of media featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.

Willow Oak in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (2/25/2017). View Record Details Media by Jim Brighton.

Willow Oak at Fort Smallwood Park, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/5/2012). View Record Details Media by Bill Hubick.

Willow Oak at Fort Smallwood Park, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/5/2012). Media by Bill Hubick.

New leaf growth on a Willow oak in Sussex Co., Delaware (6/23/2012). Media by Jim Brighton.

Willow Oak in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/1/2011). View Record Details Media by Bill Harms.

Willow Oak in Dorchester Co., Maryland (5/15/2018). View Record Details Media by Wayne Longbottom.

The bark of a Willow Oak in Sussex Co., Delaware (6/23/2012). Media by Jim Brighton.

Willow Oak in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/31/2010). View Record Details Media by Bill Harms.

Willow Oak in Cecil Co., Maryland (9/5/2019). View Record Details Media by Georgia McDonald.

Willow Oak blooming in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/16/2016). View Record Details Media by Robert Ferraro.

Willow Oak acorns, leaves, and trunk in Dorchester Co., Maryland (9/15/2016). View Record Details Media by Jane Hill.

A Willow Oak in Kent Co., Maryland (9/25/2016). View Record Details Media by Dan Small.

A Willow Oak in Howard Co., Maryland (7/25/2015). View Record Details Media by Jim Wilkinson.

Emerging leaves of Willow Oak in spring on Chino Farms, Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (4/27/2013). View Record Details Media by Bill Hubick.

Willow Oak (emerging leaves) in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/17/2016). View Record Details Media by Bill Hubick.

Flowers and emerging leaves of Willow Oak at Fort Smallwood Park, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/17/2016). View Record Details Media by Bill Hubick.

Willow Oak growing in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (11/27/2019). View Record Details Media by Matthew Beziat.

Willow Oak in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (11/19/2016). View Record Details Media by Matthew Beziat.

Winter view of Willow Oak in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (3/4/2011). View Record Details Media by Bill Harms.

Willow Oak leaves in Worcester Co., Maryland (2/20/2016). View Record Details Media by Jim Brighton.

Willow Oak in Prince George's Co., Maryland (1/5/2020). View Record Details Media by Jim Brighton.