Swamp White Oak

Quercus bicolor

Basic Information

Family: Fagaceae

Genus: quercus

Plant ID (slug): quercus-bicolor

Numeric ID: 19895

USDA Hardiness: 4-8

Ratings

Physical Characteristics

Quercus bicolor is a deciduous Tree growing to 25 m (82ft 0in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen in October. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Distribution

Eastern N. America - Quebec to Minnesota, Georgia and Arkansas.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seed Edible Uses: Coffee Seed - raw or cooked[105, 161, 226]. A rather sweet flavour[159, 235]. The seed is quite large, about 2 - 3cm long and 15 - 20mm wide[82, 200], and unlike most other oaks, is attached to the tree by a long stem[183]. It matures in its first year[235]. The seed can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread[183]. The seed from some trees can contain bitter tannins, these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost. Either the whole seed can be used or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder. It can take several days or even weeks to properly leach whole seeds, one method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can tell when the tannin has been leached. The traditional method of preparing the seed was to bury it in boggy ground overwinter. The germinating seed was dug up in the spring when it would have lost most of its astringency. Roasted seed is a coffee substitute.

Medicinal Uses

Astringent Dysentery Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc[4].