Willow oak?

hackberry jake · October 20, 2012, 03:21:29 PM

Anybody ever heard of willow oak? My brother bought a house that has willow oak trees in the yard. They look different than any oak tree that I'm familiar with. Has anybody sawn any?

POSTON WIDEHEAD · October 20, 2012, 04:05:11 PM

I saw them a lot down here, Jake.

The Willow Oak and the Maple are the primary shade trees we have. A lot of people dislike the Willow Oak because of the leaf. They will flat stop up a gutter system on a house. Plus the leaves are impossible to rake up in a yard. But this tree really makes a GREAT shade tree.
I have sawn a good bit for customers. Personally I don't like it for making anything. Lots of water in this tree.

Check out this website.....exactly what I have.

www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/willow_oak.htm

Red Clay Hound · October 20, 2012, 04:07:06 PM

They're common around here. It's a red oak similar to water oak.

Nomad · October 20, 2012, 09:03:13 PM

I took one down in my yard a few years ago. Down here they grow fast. Like in, really fast! Not very long lived either. I think around 70-75 years they're getting long in the tooth. It is a red oak, and as was said very similar to water oak. From what I milled out of mine it isn't very impressive wood. Makes a much better shade tree than it does lumber. I haven't sawn one for anybody else; next one might be different.

Okrafarmer · October 20, 2012, 09:45:19 PM

Of the oaks we have around here, in my opinion, water oak and willow oak are two of a kind, and not very impressive as far as oaks go. They do grow fast in the yard, though, like mutants almost. In fifty years either species can be over 3' diameter. Slower in the woods, maybe.

GeneWengert-WoodDoc · October 20, 2012, 10:35:23 PM

As with any yard tree, there is always a chance of bacterial infections that reulst in wetwood, which smells, is weak, etc.

Okrafarmer · October 20, 2012, 10:40:37 PM

Quote from: GeneWengert-WoodDoc on October 20, 2012, 10:35:23 PM
As with any yard tree, there is always a chance of bacterial infections that reulst in wetwood, which smells, is weak, etc.

I'm glad you brought that up, Doc Gene. Why would you say this is more prevalent in yard trees?

POSTON WIDEHEAD · October 20, 2012, 10:44:23 PM

I've seen more yard trees with disease which began with an opening in the bark caused from weed eaters and lawn mowers.

jcbrotz · October 21, 2012, 05:11:59 AM

Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on October 20, 2012, 10:44:23 PM
I've seen more yard trees with disease which began with an opening in the bark caused from weed eaters and lawn mowers.

And kids with hammers :D

WDH · October 21, 2012, 08:04:01 AM

Also, soil conditions play a part, and yards can be compacted from humans doing stuff.

The big willow oaks in the swamps down here can be very impressive.

Bibbyman · October 21, 2012, 08:19:15 AM

We saw quite a few willow oaks. All are native grown and saw out about the same as black oak.

Red Clay Hound · October 21, 2012, 09:30:18 PM

As I mentioned earlier, most of the Willow Oak I have milled were similar to Water Oak. From my experience it tends to have a lot of color variation and more defect than most Southern Red or Northern Red Oak. In other words, it has a lot of character!

I actually like the end result. Here is a photo of a room addition I am working on using Water Oak. It is still a work in progress. I'll post some more photos when I finish - not sure when that will be given the number of projects I have on the burner. :D

Okrafarmer · October 21, 2012, 09:34:40 PM

Nice job, RCH!

WDH · October 22, 2012, 07:18:10 AM

I have personally met this wood, and it is beautiful!

POSTON WIDEHEAD · October 22, 2012, 08:10:18 AM

Red Clay, you have done a very nice job .....that Water Oak looks amazing.

grweldon · October 22, 2012, 08:41:31 AM

I have many Water Oaks on my property and I am suspecting that the largest tree on the place is a Willow Oak, but I'm not sure. It's about 42" DBH and is in need of pruning. I looked at it this weekend and I want to call an arborist to see what I can do to preserve it. I figured it was over 150 years old until I read this thread.

Okrafarmer · October 22, 2012, 08:45:08 AM

Well the ones on a lawn can grow faster than ones in the woods. If you are fertilizing the lawn, and not providing any other trees nearby for competition, they will grow rather rapidly. My main experience is with water oaks. I'm not sure whether willow oaks do exactly the same thing, but they appear to be very similar trees except for the shape of the leaves.

With lawn-based water oaks around here, ½-¾ inch growth rings are not uncommon to see.

WDH · October 22, 2012, 09:27:39 PM

GR,

This thread has some pics of willow oak leaves.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,26886.msg384981.html#msg384981

grweldon · October 23, 2012, 05:00:12 PM

I'll have to get some pics of the leaves of this particular tree and post them. I've very confused now, could be either one or even a live oak, which is what I'm leaning toward...

Solomon · October 23, 2012, 05:14:08 PM

Round my neck of the woods its fire wood or chaulking dunnage at best.

WDH · October 23, 2012, 07:48:50 PM

If it is live oak, the underside of the leaf will be a very dull green/tawny brown. The upperside will be very glossy green. The leaf margins will be revolute (the top of the leaf is curled toward the underside just a bit at the leaf margin). This bi-color leaf of live oak will be very different than willow or water or laurel oak where the color on the upperside leaf and the underside leaf is the same color green and there is no curling of the leaf margin. Give us a pic of the top and bottom of a leaf and a bark pic.