Tennessee’s landscape is famous for its scenic hills and dense forests filled with towering trees. Among these are its many native oak trees.
Oaks are, along with maples, one of Tennessee’s most reliable shade trees. The oak tree is a symbol of strength and nobility. They are elegant, loved by many, and you can find them throughout the state, especially in urban and surrounding areas.
Oak trees are a great addition to any landscape, and they can provide much-needed shade in the hot Tennessee summers. Since native oaks lose their leaves in the winter, they also let sunlight into your home, potentially saving you money on heating.
This article provides you with twelve stunning and popular oak trees. You should get a good idea on how they look and the unique characteristics of each.
12 Most Common Native Oak Trees in Tennessee
1. Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea)
Scarlet oaks are well-known trees in Tennessee because they grow quickly and have beautiful leaves. The tops of the leaves are dark and shiny green, and the bottoms are light. The crown of a scarlet oak is open, which is suitable for dappled shade.
In the fall, the tree’s 4–7-inch leaves turn a bright red. But some Scarlet oaks trees turn orange or yellow. Due to its unique and colorful leaves, the tree is often used as an ornament or in landscaping. It is also a famous tree for wildlife habitats because many animals, such as squirrels, deer, and turkeys, eat its acorns.
In addition, the tree can also stand up to drought and bad soil, which makes it a good choice for reforestation projects.
Traditional medicine also uses scarlet oak. The bark and leaves are used to make teas that are said to be anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and antimicrobial.
Scarlet oak prefers full sun. It likes well-drained, sandy soils with moderate moisture, but scarlet oak can withstand some drought.
USDA Growing Zones: 4 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 60 – 80 feet tall with a spread of 40 – 50 feet
Available at: Nature Hills
2. White Oak (Quercus alba)
White oak is a strong tree with an oval or rounded shape. It is known for its short and thick trunk, which is a source of its popular timber. In addition, its wide-spreading branches are sturdy.
White oak bark is light ashy gray, and scaly. In some cases, the bark is shallow-furrowed. The leaves are dark green to blue-green in the summer. The showy foliage turns wine-red to orange-red in the fall.
This tree produces acorns much earlier than other oaks, as early as 20 years old. White oak trees can live hundreds of years. Over time the tree develops a deep and robust taproot that makes it almost impossible to transplant, so choose a good site.
White oak prefers slightly acidic, well-drained, and moist soil. It does well in either full sun or partial shade.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 50 – 80 feet tall with an equal spread
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees & Nature Hills
3. Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)
Willow oak is a medium-sized to large tree with a straight trunk and a round crown.
The fast-growing willow oak features narrow willow-like leaves. The foliage is light to bright green but turns yellow or yellow-brown in the fall.
The bark of the willow oak tree is soft and silvery. Its branches look like they’ve been painted, and when the wind blows, they look like they are waving.
Tea made from willow oak leaves is unique and full of flavor. Also, the tree’s bark is an excellent tannin source used to make dyes and inks. You can make art with its shape and color.
The strong willow oak can survive in many kinds of weather and soil.
Other Common Names: Swamp willow, Sand Willow Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 5-9
Average Size at Maturity: 40 – 60 feet tall with a spread of 30 – 40 feet
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees & Nature Hills
4. Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)
The bur oak is a tall, fascinating tree with a wide, spreading crown. It grows as tall as 80 feet and has gray, scaly bark. Its leaves are dark green and shiny, and the undersides are soft and fuzzy.
The tree’s beautiful light brown acorns are something that makes it stand out. They ripen and fall in the winter and are a good food source for animals.
What makes the bur oak so unique isn’t just how it looks but its resilience. It is one of the few trees that can live in places with harsh weather. It is considered to be an excellent tree for planting in cities.
Bur oak prefers sites with full sun and well-drained soil.
Common Names: Mossycup Oak, Mossycup White Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 3 – 8
Average Size at Maturity: 70–80 feet tall with a similar spread
Available at: Nature Hills
4. Water Oak (Quercus nigra)
Water oak is native to Tennessee and much of the southeastern United States. Water oak is a medium-sized tree with a round crown that hangs down. These aesthetics make it a popular choice for landscaping.
It grows up to 80 feet tall, and its bark is smooth when young but becomes scaly with age. Its leaves are shiny, dark green, and paddle-shaped.
Water oak is known for its quick growth. But the tree has a bad habit: it drops many acorns, which might not be all bad news since it serves as food to small mammals.
Water oak does not require much care. The water oak is known for being able to grow in wet soil, which makes it an excellent choice for people who want to plant a tree in a flood-prone area.
Other Common Names: Possum Oak, Duck oak, Orange Oak, Punk Oak, Spotted Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 6 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 50 – 80 feet tall with a similar spread
Available at: Nature Hills
6. Black Oak (Quercus velutina)
Black oak is a majestic, old tree that stands tall and proud in the forest. Its trunk is nearly black and even black in some cases. This oak features wide branches that give plenty of shade and shelter.
Black oak returns to life in the spring with fresh, bright green leaves. The leaves are shiny and dark green in the summer. By the end of fall, leaves turn a beautiful yellow-to-red color.
Many animals, like squirrels and deer, love and eat black oak acorns. Birds and bugs make homes in their branches. And its leaves and branches that fall help to improve the soil and help other plants grow.
Black oak does best in a spot with full sun and plenty of room to spread. It likes well-drained and slightly-acidic soils.
Other Common Names: Eastern Black Oak
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 50 – 60 feet tall with a spread of 40 – 60 feet
Available at: Nature Hills
7. Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)
Chinkapin oak is a large tree with an impressive, spreading crown. It can grow up to 50 feet tall and has a scaly ashy, light-gray bark. The tree features attractive shiny dark green leaves with serrated edges.
Chinkapin Oak loves to grow at sites with full sun and well-drained soil. It even thrives in clay soil.
An exciting feature of the Chinkapin Oak is its sweet edible acorns. These provide a valuable food source for wildlife.
Other Common Names: Yellow Chestnut Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 4 – 7
Average Size at Maturity: 40-50 feet tall with a spread of 50 – 60 feet
Available at: Nature Hills
8. Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata)
Overcup oak is native to Tennessee. It features leathery green leaves on the outside and a nearly white underside. The bark is a dark brown, and the leaves turn a rich yellow-brown in the autumn.
It has a life expectancy of over 200 years and can grow to heights over 70 feet.
The tree is resistant to high temperatures and dry conditions. This plant thrives in full sun and prefers evenly moist, well-drained soil.
The Overcup is an excellent option for those who wish to plant a tree in a low-lying, flood-prone area because it can thrive in damp soil.
Other Common Names: Water White Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 5 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 45 – 70 feet tall with a spread of 35 – 50 feet
Available at: Nature Hills
9. Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus michauxii)
Swamp chestnut oak is native to Tennessee. The tree is known for its big leaves and thick and scaly bark. It can also live up to 200 years and grow to 80 feet tall.
This tree produces edible acorns that ripen in the fall. They taste sweet and nutty. These acorns are a great energy source because they are high in fat. Many birds and animals use the tree to shelter and build their nests.
Swamp chestnut oak is usually used as a shade tree. Its large size and wide canopy make it an excellent choice for parks, public areas, and private yards where shade is needed. It’s also a great tree to plant in cities because it can handle pollution and compacted soil.
Swamp chestnut oak is an excellent tree for naturalistic and native plant gardens and is also used to restore wetlands.
Other Common Names: Basket Oak, Cow Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 5 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 60 – 80 feet with a similar spread
Available at: Nature Hills
10. Post Oak (Quercus stellata)
Post Oak gets its scientific name, stellata, from how its leaves look like stars. The leaves are bright, dark green, and rough.
Post Oak is a medium-sized tree with a straight trunk and a round crown. It can grow up to 50 feet tall and has gray, scaly bark.
Post Oak can handle high temperatures. It does best in full sun and soil that drains well. Unfortunately, this tree is sensitive to root disturbances from construction work and compacted soil.
Other Common Names: Iron Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 5 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 30 – 50 feet tall with a similar spread, but up to 75 feet tall is possible
11. Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii)
Shumard Oak is known for being strong. It can easily withstand high temperatures and drought.
The tree’s leaves are dark green on top and with yellow-green undersides. In fall, the leaves turn an attractive red to red-orange. The tree’s bark is dark gray to reddish-brown.
Shumard tree’s roots run deep. As such, this tree is excellent for keeping soil in place and preventing erosion.
Other Common Names: Shumard Red Oak, Schneck Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 5 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 40 – 60 feet tall with a similar spread
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees & Nature Hills
12. Nuttall Oak (Quercus texana)
Nuttall oak grows very fast. This species is native to the Mississippi river valley.
It is a great landscaping oak because of its good branching structure and rounded shape. This tree is common in urban and suburban settings.
Nuttall oak features shiny, dark green deciduous leaves. They have deep lobes with wide sinuses. The leaves turn yellow, red, or orange.
Plant this tree in a spot that gets full sun for the best results. It tolerates a wide range of soils – sandy, clay, loamy, wet, moist, well-drained, etc. Also, it tolerates droughts.
Other Common Names: Texas Red Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 6 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 40 – 60 feet tall with a spread of 35 – 50 feet
Available at: Nature Hills
Many Native Oak Trees in Tennessee
The University of Tennessee reports 20 species of oak trees native to the state. The USDA hardiness zones in Tennessee range from 5a to 8a. All of the oaks on this list are native to Tennessee!
One interesting fact about Oak trees is that they can live for hundreds of years. The oldest oak trees in Tennessee are over 250 years old. The state has some of the world’s most beautiful and majestic oak trees.
If you are thinking of getting a beautiful oak that produces great-tasting acorns, you can’t go wrong with swamp chestnut oak or chinkapin oak. But, if you want a low-maintenance oak, you should choose Shumard oak or Nuttall oak.
Related Articles:
- 20 Stunning Flowering Trees to Grow in Tennessee
- 13 Fruit Trees to Grow in Tennessee for a Bountiful Harvest
- 12 Most Popular Oak Trees in Tennessee to Plant or Admire
- 25 Most Common Types of Trees in Tennessee (Including Native)
- 11 Evergreen Trees to Grow in Tennessee for Privacy All Year
Kenique grew up in Florida and currently lives in southern China. Before China, he spent many years in Portugal and the Caribbean. He studied economics and is a teacher, entrepreneur, and writer. Since he was knee-high, he has been gardening and was an active member of FFA (Future Farmers of America). He is his best self in a densely wooded forest or park. Depending on the day, you can find him reading, hiking, traveling, exercising, sipping lots of tea, or eating everything in sight.
