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Quercus alba

Stave Oak · White Oak · Eastern White Oak

Family FagaceaeGenus Quercus

A broad old oak with a massive short trunk standing on mown grass
The whole plantMarty AligataCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Safety

Toxicity
Poisonous to horse, cattle. Acorns, young leaves. Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin. Stated for Quercus spp.Plants Poisonous to Livestock
Toxicity
Low severity. Leaves, Seeds. Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin.Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

The plant

Habit
TreePlant Finder
Habit
treePlants of the World Online
Height
50-80 ft15-24 mPlant Finder
Spread
50-80 ft15-24 mPlant Finder
Flower
Insignificant; yellowish-greenPlant Finder
Blooms
MayPlant Finder
Native range
Eastern United StatesPlant Finder
Hardiness zones
3-9Plant Finder
Note
The 20% that failed were grub-infested. Germination was 100% for acorns free of grubs.Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed.

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sunPlant Finder
Soil
Rich, moist, acidic, well-drained loamPlant Finder
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Dry to mediumPlant Finder
Watering
Dry to mediumPlant Finder

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plant Finder — Missouri Botanical Garden; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants Poisonous to Livestock — Cornell University Department of Animal Science; Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno.

Worth knowing

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

    A stem with true leaves follows in 1-2 weeks. Germination is hypogeal.

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

80% germination in 7–21 days.

Warmth, and nothing else. The 20% that failed were grub-infested; grub-free seed was 100%.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, QuercusPublic domain
Show the original text
Quercus (Fagaceae). Q. borealis, macrocarpa, and velutina were reported to be 40-70 germinators (ref. 28, Ch. 10). Q. alba germ. 80% at 70, 40, or outdoor conditions when started October 1. The 20% that failed to germinate were infested with grubs so that germination was 100% for seeds free of grubs. Germination at 70 occurred in 1-3 w, and a stem with true leaves (hypogeal) developed in 1-2 w after germination. Outdoor treatment was essentially equivalent to sowing at 70 because the weather was warm through October. The rate of germination at 40 is only slightly slower than at 70 and requires 1-5 w for completion. -
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Quercus. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

Germination happens during step 1, in 35 days.

80% germination in 7–35 days.

Cold is only slightly slower than warm, and gives the same 80%.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, QuercusPublic domain
Show the original text
Quercus (Fagaceae). Q. borealis, macrocarpa, and velutina were reported to be 40-70 germinators (ref. 28, Ch. 10). Q. alba germ. 80% at 70, 40, or outdoor conditions when started October 1. The 20% that failed to germinate were infested with grubs so that germination was 100% for seeds free of grubs. Germination at 70 occurred in 1-3 w, and a stem with true leaves (hypogeal) developed in 1-2 w after germination. Outdoor treatment was essentially equivalent to sowing at 70 because the weather was warm through October. The rate of germination at 40 is only slightly slower than at 70 and requires 1-5 w for completion. -
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Quercus. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Sow around October 1, 2027 — a date the source gives, not one counted back from a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 1, 2026.

  1. Sow outdoors and leave it

    Started October 1.

No stated waiting before sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

80% germination.

Sown outdoors on October 1 it matched sowing at 70, because October stayed warm.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, QuercusPublic domain
Show the original text
Quercus (Fagaceae). Q. borealis, macrocarpa, and velutina were reported to be 40-70 germinators (ref. 28, Ch. 10). Q. alba germ. 80% at 70, 40, or outdoor conditions when started October 1. The 20% that failed to germinate were infested with grubs so that germination was 100% for seeds free of grubs. Germination at 70 occurred in 1-3 w, and a stem with true leaves (hypogeal) developed in 1-2 w after germination. Outdoor treatment was essentially equivalent to sowing at 70 because the weather was warm through October. The rate of germination at 40 is only slightly slower than at 70 and requires 1-5 w for completion. -
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Quercus. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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