The Forestry Forum

 
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/66578/0906211619b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1630961383)
 

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/66578/0906211619a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1630961410)
 

Are all of the above Swamp White Oak? I thought I had some chestnut on my property, but a local builder is telling me we have no Chestnut Oak in our area, too far north even though the map shows them in my area.


(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/66578/Quercus_prinus_range_map.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1630961590)
 

The way to tell for 100% sure is the bark.  Leaves are similar, but the bark is vastly different.  Chestnut oak will have a deep brown-gray color and be ridged with very deep v-shaped fissures.  

Swamp white oak bark is ashen gray to light gray and very scaly.  Check out the links below and compare the bark to figure out which one you have. 

https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=313 (https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=313)

https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=76 (https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=76)

This is a picture of the bark, it's a young tree, only about 6-8" in diameter. All the trees of this type that I have are younger.


(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/66578/0906211527b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1630962594)


I don't have any acorns yet, but the ones I got from the trees last year were very oval, long & skinny.

that looks to be a platey bark.  i cant say i can pick out a young chestnut oak but the old ones have big mean bark furrows that jump out like a stegosaurus trying to hide in a closet.  just very coarse and knobby like no other tree ive seen. 

Yes, swamp white oak, Quercus bicolor.  

Good job on the pic.  Now we know and do not have to guess.