Swamp Chestnut Oak Seedlings

Swamp Chestnut Oak

The Swamp Chestnut Oak is a species in the white oak species of the beech family. It is native to the southeastern and Midwestern United States and inhabits the bottomlands and wetlands. It can be found coastal from New Jersey to Texas and as far inland as Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. 
This oak, as suggested by its name, can tolerate a period of flooding up to a few days, or weeks during its growing season. The Swamp Chestnut has also been found to grow in elevations up to 1,000 feet.

The Swamp Chestnut Oak is very close in resemblance to the Chestnut oak, which is why at times it has been treated as a type of that specific species. The swamp chestnut is a much larger tree and has a different preferred habitat. Also, the bark is much thinner and paler that than of natural chestnut oak. 
In a mature tree, the first 20-40 feet will often be found free of branches. The Swamp Chestnut will typically grow up to anywhere from 65 to 100 feet tall, with the tallest currently known to be over 150 feet.

The leaves of the Swamp Chestnut around 4-11 inches long and 2-7 in broad. The top side of the leaf is smooth, while the bottom side is hairy. Other oaks distinguish the leaves by the lateral veins on either side of the midvein. It yields acorns that will mature in the fall, about six months after it is fertilized. These acorns are plentiful, and sweet, and may develop singly, or in clusters of two to three. This acorn is highly attractive to the whitetail deer. Other animals that enjoy these acorns include black bears, turkeys, red foxes, waterfowl, and squirrels.

Swamp Chestnut Oak has also been known as basket oak because the wood can be easily split into long flexible strips that are excellent for use in basket weaving. These trees are low maintenance and would require plenty of room to grow.

The Swamp Chestnut oak is a tree that is quite appealing. When looking to grow this tree, you will need to put in quite a bit of maintenance due to its size an makeup. The tree itself is quite durable and usually thrives in temperate environments. When having a Swamp Chestnut oak tree, it is best in zones 4 through 9. As far as the size is concerned, it grows to up to 30 feet in height. As a result, you will need to plant this tree in open fields or a yard. As long as there are adequate soil and reasonable rainfall you will be able to have this tree grow and stand out. The tree has green leaves of various shapes and sizes as well. Its scientific name is Quercus michauxii.