Oak (Swamp Chestnut)

The Chestnut Oaks are known for their tolerance of difficult locations and the Quercus michauxii is no exception, thriving especially in wet locations as its name suggests and tolerating even occasional flooding. This tree has the lightest-colored bark and the best fall color - leaves turn a deep, rich red - of all the Chestnut Oaks and this tree should find its place in more landscapes. An enormous tree, Swamp Chestnut Oak grows to about 70'-100' high with a similar spread and its growing range stretches from New Jersey to northern Florida west to eastern Texas and up the Mississippi River Valley to southern Illinois and Indiana.

The tree's species name comes from the French naturalist Francois Andre Michaux (1770-1855) who first described it. An interesting fact is that Swamp Chestnut acorns are often not produced until the tree reaches 20-25 years of age. These acorns were often consumed by livestock including cows, which led in years gone by to the common name of cow oak. Another common name - basket oak - was used because the wood was often split into thin but flexible strips for weaving heavy baskets used to harvest cotton from fields in the American South.