VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Quercus alba | White Oak 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
White oak wood is heavy, hard, strong, and durable [131].  When properly
dried treated, oak wood glues well, machines very well and accepts a
variety of finishes [97].

White oak is the most important timber oak and is commercially important
throughout much of the South and East [35,141,148].  White oak is an
important source of wood for furniture, veneer, paneling, and flooring
[28,95,101].  It has been used to make railroad ties, fenceposts, mine
timbers, ships, and caskets [95].  White oak has long been used in
cooperage [125] and is currently the major source of wood for whiskey
barrels [43].  White oak wood has also been used as a source of
clapboard shingles and woven baskets, although demands for these
products are decreasing [43].  Its high fuel value makes white oak an
attractive firewood [95].


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Browse:  The young shoots of many eastern oak species are readily eaten
by deer [57].  Dried oak leaves are also occasionally eaten by
white-tailed deer in the fall or winter [120].  Rabbits often browse
twigs and can girdle stems [57].  The porcupine feeds on the bark, and
beavers eat twigs of white oaks [135].

Acorns:  Acorns of white oak are considered choice food for many
wildlife species [118], including the white-footed mouse, fox squirrel,
black bear, pine mouse, red squirrel, and cottontail rabbits
[22,27,135].  The gray squirrel consumes white oak acorns but prefers
the acorns of other oak species [80].  Many birds, including the
bluejay, northern bobwhite, mallard, ring-necked pheasant, greater
prairie chicken, ruffed grouse, and wild turkey, eat white oak acorns
[60,66,135].  In some areas, the abundance of fall mast crops, such as
acorns, can affect black bear reproductive success during the following
year [44].  Sprouted acorns are often eaten by deer, mice, and bobwhite
[135].


PALATABILITY : 
The palatability of oak browse is relatively high for domestic livestock
and for many wildlife species [135].  Eastern oaks are preferred by
white-tailed deer in some locations [135].  New growth is particularly
palatable to deer and rabbits [57].

The acorns of most oaks are highly palatable to many species of birds
and mammals [57,90].  Palatability of white oak acorns to fox squirrels,
and presumably to some other species, declines after the acorns have
sprouted [123].


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Browse:  The nutritional value of white oak browse varies
geographically, and with site history and phenological development.
Annual variation has also been observed [40].  Foliar nitrogen content
was measured at 1.40 percent in Tennessee but averaged only 0.7 percent
in New York [114].  The calcium content of leaves tends to increase
slowly as the growing season progresses [15].  Calcium levels of twigs,
and protein and phosphorus content of the foliage, are generally higher
on recently burned sites [12,15,40].  Total solids, ash, ether extract,
crude fiber, and N-free extract appear to be unaffected by fire [40].
[see Fire Management Considerations].  Winter nutrient content of white
oak browse in Texas has been documented as follows [78]:

protein     fat     fiber     N-free     ash    phosphoric    Ca
                              extract           acid
                  percent at 15 percent moisture

  3.89      1.46    34.22      42.43     3.00     0.13        1.67

Acorns:  Acorns are nutritious [57] and high in carbohydrates [59].
White oak acorns are relatively low in protein, crude fiber, and
potassium [16,123,142] but high in digestible cell contents such as
fats, starches, sugars, and pectins [123].  White oak acorns tend to be
lower in fats than the acorns of many other oak species [124].  Primary
stored energy reserves are in the form of carbohydrates [16].  Specific
nutritional values are reported below [123,124]:

crude       crude      crude     Si     Ca     P     ash    N-free
protein     fat        fiber                                extract
                              percent dry weight -

5.9         4.3        18.7     0.01   0.15    0.09   ---    --- 
4.6         5.8        18.6     0.06   0.18    0.09   2.7    68.3             

Tannin levels of white oak acorns are relatively low, generally ranging
from 0.5 to 2.5 percent [126].  Lipid concentrations are also low,
averaging 5 to 10 percent [126].  However, Lewis [80] reported tannin
and lipid levels of 2.94 and 4.6 percent, respectively.  Metabolizable
energy content has been estimated at 72 percent [80].

Taproot:  The taproot of white oak is high in fibers, lignin, and
cellulose [126].


COVER VALUE : 
White oak provides good cover for a wide variety of birds and mammals.
Oak leaves often persist longer than many other plant associates and in
some areas, young oaks may represent the only brushy winter cover in
dense pole stands [120].  Oaks frequently serve as perching or nesting
sites for various songbirds [29].  The well-developed crowns provide
shelter and hiding cover for small mammals such as tree squirrels.  Many
birds and mammals use twigs and leaves as nesting materials [90].  Large
oaks provide denning sites for a variety of mammals [29].


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
White oak is potentially valuable for use in reforestation projects [79]
and appears to have potential for use on other types of disturbed sites.
It has been planted on strip-mined lands in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois
[6,23,81] and has exhibited good growth and survival on cast overburden
and graded topsoil overlying mine spoils [6,139].  It is well adapted to
loamy and clayey spoils with a pH of 5.5 to 8.0 [81].

White oak is difficult to transplant and grows slowly [148].  It can be
readily propagated through seed which is generally planted in the fall
[99].  Seed collection, storage, and planting techniques have been
documented [16,99].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Acorns were traditionally an important food source for many Native
American peoples [134].  White oak acorns have been described variously
as sweet and edible [131] and as slightly bitter [43].  The acorns were
often boiled to remove bitter tannins [35].  Oils obtained from pressed
acorns were used to alleviate pain in the joints [63].

White oak is commonly used in landscaping [125] and is often planted as
a shade tree or ornamental [43,148.  Its colorful purplish-red to
violet-purple foliage enhances its ornamental value in autumn [125,148].
White oak was first cultivated in 1724 [99].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Chemical control:  Oaks often produce basal sprouts in response to
herbicide treatments [50].

Damage:  White oak can be damaged by frost or drought.  It is also
sensitive to periodic flooding [64].

Environmental considerations:  White oak is sensitive to excessive ozone
[64].

Grazing:  Intensive grazing can reduce the number of trees present and
aid in the regeneration of white oak through seed [8].

Wildlife considerations:  Acorns are a particularly important food
source for black bears in many areas.  Acorn crop failures have been
correlated with increases in damage to crops, livestock, and beehives by
bears [112].

Related categories for Species: Quercus alba | White Oak