Quercus phellos L.

A deciduous tree from 70 to 100 ft high, forming a rounded or columnar head of branches; bark glabrous, grey; young shoots and leaves at first downy, then glabrous. Leaves pale green, thin, oblong-lanceolate, tapered at the base, mostly pointed at the apex, entire, or slightly wavy on each margin; 2 to 51⁄2 in. long, 1⁄3 to 1 in. wide; stalk 1⁄8 to 1⁄4 in. long, minutely downy or glabrous. Acorns (rarely seen on introduced trees) scarcely bigger than a large red currant, and produced in a shallow, saucer-shaped cup.

Native of the Atlantic states of the USA to northern Florida, thence westward through the lower Mississippi valley to eastern Texas; introduced early in the 18th century. It is quite distinct from all the other cultivated deciduous oaks in its glabrous, narrow, normally untoothed leaves. In the young state it is a very elegant tree. Although not common in Britain, it thrives here and reaches a large size, as the following measurements show: Kew, near the Pagoda, a forked tree 70 × 12 ft at 3 ft (1967); in the Oak collection, 64 × 71⁄4 ft (1972) and pl. 1901, 77 × 7 ft, grafted at ground-level (1972); Knap Hill Nursery, Surrey, 60 × 111⁄2 ft (1961); Cobham Hall, Kent, 82 × 121⁄4 ft (1965); Highnam Court, Glos., 52 × 8 ft at 4 ft (1970); Bicton, Devon, 57 × 63⁄4 ft at 4 ft (1968); Glen-durgan, Cornwall, 40 × 53⁄4 ft (1965).

From the Supplement (Vol. V)

specimens: Kew, in Oak Collection, pl. 1901, 75 × 81⁄4 ft, pl. 1906, 76 × 71⁄2 ft (1986) and in oak planting west of Broad Walk, 66 × 123⁄4 ft at 3 ft (1981); Syon House, London, 60 × 41⁄4 ft (1982); Alexandra Park, Hastings, Sussex, 85 × 71⁄4 ft (1983); Knap Hill Nursery, Surrey, 65 × 121⁄4 ft (1974); Highnam Court, Glos., 52 × 8 ft at 4 ft (1970); Powis Castle, Powys, 66 × 81⁄4 ft (1981).