Oak | Quercus

Quercus shumardii, commonly known as the Shumard oak, is a stately deciduous tree valued for its impressive size, strength, and brilliant autumn color. Typically reaching 20 to 25 meters in height with a broad spread of 15 to 20 meters, it develops a strong, upright form with a wide, rounded crown. Its deeply lobed, glossy green leaves provide lush summer shade and transform into vibrant shades of red and orange in the fall, creating a spectacular seasonal display. Shumard oak thrives in a variety of soil types, including poorly drained sites, and is highly tolerant of urban conditions, drought, and pollution once established. Its durability, adaptability, and beauty make it an outstanding choice for parks, large gardens, avenues, and restoration projects, offering long-term structure and habitat for wildlife.

Quercus phellos, commonly known as the Willow Oak, is a graceful native tree prized for its fine-textured, willow-like foliage and rapid growth. Unlike most oaks, its narrow, lance-shaped leaves create a soft, elegant appearance that sets it apart in the landscape. Willow Oak matures into a large, broad-canopied shade tree, providing cool, dense cover during the summer months. In autumn, its foliage shifts to warm golden tones, bringing seasonal beauty before dropping cleanly, making leaf management easier than with many other oaks.

Highly adaptable, Willow Oak thrives in a wide variety of soil conditions, from moist lowlands to upland sites, and is tolerant of heat, pollution, and occasional drought once established. Its abundant acorns are a valuable food source for birds and mammals, supporting local ecosystems. Ideal for parks, spacious yards, and urban plantings, Quercus phellos offers enduring shade, elegance, and resilience for generations to enjoy.

The swamp white oak is a stately, long-lived tree native to North America, prized for both beauty and resilience. Its distinctive two-toned leaves—deep green above, silvery white beneath—create a striking display that shifts to rich golden hues in fall. Naturally thriving in wetlands and floodplains, this oak adapts easily to a wide range of soils and conditions, offering shade and strength in urban landscapes, parks, or natural settings.

Beyond its ornamental charm, the swamp white oak provides essential habitat and food for wildlife, with acorns that nourish birds and mammals alike. As it matures, it develops a broad, rounded crown that delivers reliable shade and an impressive presence in any landscape. Hardy, versatile, and ecologically valuable, Quercus bicolor is more than just a tree—it’s an investment in beauty, biodiversity, and sustainability for generations to come.

Quercus phillyreoides, commonly known as the Ubame oak, Black Ridged Oak, is a versatile, evergreen oak prized for its dense foliage, compact size, and year-round interest. Typically reaching 6 to 10 meters in height with a spread of 5 to 8 meters, it forms a neat, rounded crown filled with small, leathery dark green leaves. The foliage remains vibrant throughout the year, making it an excellent choice for providing structure and greenery even in winter months. Highly adaptable, Quercus phillyreoides thrives in a range of soils and shows strong tolerance to pruning, pollution, and drought once established. It is ideal for use as a specimen tree, clipped hedge, or screen in gardens and urban landscapes. Its resilience and tidy form make it a low-maintenance, attractive addition to any planting design.

Quercus acutissima, commonly called the sawtooth oak, is a striking deciduous tree native to East Asia and widely appreciated for its adaptability and elegance. Named for its distinctive long, narrow leaves with sharply serrated edges, it brings a bold texture to landscapes. In spring and summer, the tree displays rich green foliage, which turns golden-yellow in autumn, creating a brilliant seasonal highlight. Growing up to 25 meters tall, the sawtooth oak forms a broad, spreading crown that offers generous shade and a commanding presence. Hardy and fast-growing, it thrives in a wide range of soils and climates, making it a versatile choice for parks, gardens, and reforestation projects. Traditionally valued for its durable timber, Quercus acutissima also supports wildlife with its acorns and sheltering canopy. Symbolizing resilience, longevity, and natural harmony, the sawtooth oak embodies both practical utility and timeless beauty, making it ideal for sustainable landscapes and crafted products.

Quercus myrsinifolia, also known as the Chinese evergreen oak, is a refined and resilient tree valued for its year-round beauty and versatility. Native to East Asia, this broadleaf evergreen features slender, lance-shaped leaves with a glossy dark-green surface and a lighter underside, lending a graceful texture to landscapes in every season. Unlike many oaks, it retains its foliage throughout the year, offering constant greenery and structure.

Adaptable to a variety of soils and climates, Quercus myrsinifolia grows into a medium to large tree with a rounded crown, making it an excellent choice for parks, streetscapes, and gardens alike. Beyond its ornamental appeal, it provides shade, shelter, and food for birds and wildlife, supporting biodiversity while enriching the environment. Low-maintenance and long-lived, the Chinese evergreen oak combines elegance with durability, making it a sustainable, enduring addition to both traditional and modern landscapes.

Quercus glauca, commonly known as the ring-cupped oak or Japanese blue oak, is a striking evergreen species celebrated for its elegance and adaptability. Native to East and Southeast Asia, this oak is distinguished by its glossy, deep blue-green leaves with silvery undersides that shimmer in the breeze, creating a dynamic, year-round display of color and texture. Its acorns are encased in uniquely fringed, ringed cups—an ornamental feature that adds distinctive character to the tree.

With its graceful, rounded crown and evergreen foliage, Quercus glauca provides reliable shade and structure in gardens, parks, and streetscapes. It is tolerant of varied soils and climates, making it a versatile choice for both traditional and contemporary landscapes. Beyond its ornamental appeal, the ring-cupped oak supports wildlife, offering food and shelter for birds and other animals. Durable, low-maintenance, and long-lived, this oak enriches any setting with timeless beauty and ecological value.

Quercus × hispanica 'Wageningen' is a remarkable hybrid oak, derived from Quercus cerris and Quercus suber, combining the hardiness of the Turkey oak with the distinctive character of the cork oak. This semi-evergreen tree is admired for its bold, glossy, deeply lobed foliage that provides year-round texture and seasonal drama. In spring and summer, the leaves display a rich green, gradually shifting to warm golden and bronze tones in autumn before many persist into winter, extending its ornamental value. With a broad crown and strong framework, 'Wageningen' makes a striking specimen tree, offering both shade and structure to parks, avenues, and large gardens. Adaptable to varied soils and climates, it grows vigorously and withstands urban conditions, making it an excellent choice for sustainable landscaping. Valued for its strength, elegance, and longevity, Quercus × hispanica 'Wageningen' represents heritage and resilience, seamlessly blending beauty with ecological and cultural significance.

Quercus palustris 'Green Pillar' is a distinctive cultivar of the pin oak, celebrated for its elegant, narrow, columnar form. Unlike the broader habit of traditional pin oaks, this variety grows upright with dense, vertical branches, making it an excellent choice for limited spaces, urban gardens, or as a striking architectural feature in larger landscapes. Its glossy, deep green leaves bring a lush texture throughout spring and summer, transforming into vivid shades of crimson and scarlet in autumn, creating a dramatic seasonal display. Hardy and adaptable, 'Green Pillar' thrives in a variety of soils, including wetter conditions, and is resistant to many common pests and diseases. At maturity, it reaches around 10–15 meters in height while maintaining its slim profile, ideal for lining avenues or adding vertical interest to gardens. Combining strength, beauty, and year-round appeal, Quercus palustris 'Green Pillar' embodies both elegance and resilience in modern landscapes.

Quercus rubra, commonly known as the Northern Red Oak, is a majestic deciduous tree native to North America, including parts of the United States and Canada. This oak species belongs to the Fagaceae family and is renowned for its striking appearance, impressive size, and ecological significance.

Mature Quercus Rubra trees can reach heights of up to 100 feet (30 meters) and possess a wide, rounded crown that provides ample shade during the summer months. Its leaves, which are alternately arranged along the branches, are deeply lobed with pointed tips and possess a vibrant green colour in the spring and summer. However, during the autumn season, they transform into a breath taking spectacle of crimson and red hues, making it a popular choice for ornamental landscaping.

The bark of the Northern Red Oak is dark brown, often becoming rough and deeply furrowed with age, adding to its visual appeal. The tree produces acorns as its fruit, which are an essential food source for numerous wildlife species, including squirrels, deer, and birds. This contributes to its ecological significance by supporting local ecosystems.

Quercus rubra prefers well-drained soils and can adapt to a variety of soil types, making it a hardy and resilient tree species. It thrives in full sun to partial shade, making it versatile in different environmental conditions.

Quercus rubra stands as a symbol of strength, resilience, and natural beauty. Its presence in North American forests and landscapes enriches the environment and provides valuable resources for both wildlife and human use. This iconic tree embodies the timeless beauty of nature and its vital role in sustaining the ecosystems it inhabits.

Quercus cerris, commonly known as the Turkey oak, is a robust and fast-growing deciduous tree native to southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. It is widely cultivated across Europe for its adaptability and ornamental value. The tree features deeply lobed, glossy green leaves that often persist into winter, and rough, deeply fissured bark that adds texture and character. One of its most distinctive features is its acorns, which are enclosed in a spiky, moss-like cup, giving the tree a unique appearance in autumn. Turkey oak can reach heights of 65 to 100 feet, making it suitable for large landscapes, parks, and avenues. It grows well in a variety of soils, including poor or dry conditions, and tolerates urban environments and pollution. While not native to the UK, it has been widely planted there since the 18th century. Quercus cerris also provides valuable habitat and food for wildlife, supporting biodiversity.

Quercus robur, or English Oak, is a large, long-lived, deciduous tree with a majestic, broad-spreading crown and smooth silvery brown bark, rough and fissured when mature. The lobed, blue-green leaves turn reddish brown in autumn. The tree is monoecious. Inconspicuous, male, yellow-green flowers grow in long, hanging catkins while small, female, pink flowers are followed by brown acorns that grow in couples on long stalks and fall to the ground in autumn. English Oak grows best in average, loamy, medium moist, well-drained soils, but can adapt to a wide range of soil conditions. It prefers full sun to dappled shade. Once established, it is resistant to drought and frost. Low maintenance plant, doesn’t require pruning. English Oak is a stunning architectural tree, robust and sturdy, often found growing in woodland. It is perfect as a specimen tree in larger areas or grown as a hedge in smaller ones. It supports more wildlife than any other tree in the UK.

Note: Please note, British native trees are all slightly different sizes, girth and shapes. Email us for an actual pictures of individual trees should you wish to choose a specific shape and size, or leave it to us to select the best one for you. 

Quercus robur, or English Oak, is a large, long-lived, deciduous tree with a majestic, broad-spreading crown and smooth silvery brown bark, rough and fissured when mature. The lobed, blue-green leaves turn reddish brown in autumn.

The tree is monoecious. Inconspicuous, male, yellow-green flowers grow in long, hanging catkins while small, female, pink flowers are followed by brown acorns that grow in couples on long stalks and fall to the ground in autumn.

English Oak grows best in average, loamy, medium moist, well-drained soils, but can adapt to a wide range of soil conditions. It prefers full sun to dappled shade. Once established, it is resistant to drought and frost.

Low maintenance plant, doesn’t require pruning. English Oak is a stunning architectural tree, robust and sturdy, often found growing in woodland. It is perfect as a specimen tree in larger areas or grown as a hedge in smaller ones. It supports more wildlife than any other tree in the UK.