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Ware's oak

Quercus warei

Common names:
Ware's oak

Content Detail

Ware’s oak results from a cross between a cultivar of English oak (Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’) and swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor). The resulting hybrid has a columnar form, good fall color and resistance to powdery mildew.

  • Family (English) Beech
  • Family (botanic) Fagaceae
  • Planting site City parkway, Residential and parks, Wide median
  • Tree or plant type Tree
  • Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
  • Native locale Non-native
  • Size range Medium tree (25-40 feet), Large tree (more than 40 feet)
  • Mature height 30-45 feet
  • Mature width 20-25 feet
  • Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily)
  • Hardiness zones Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9
  • Soil preference Acid soil, Moist, well-drained soil
  • Tolerances Alkaline soil, Dry sites, Occasional drought, Wet sites
  • Season of interest mid fall, late fall
  • Flower color and fragrance Inconspicuous
  • Shape or form Columnar
  • Growth rate Fast
  • Transplants well Yes
  • Planting considerations May be difficult to find in nurseries, Messy fruit/plant parts
  • Wildlife Migrant birds, Small mammals, Songbirds
  • Has cultivars Yes

Native geographic location and habitat: 

Ware’s oak is of hybrid origin.

Bark color and texture: 

The bark is dark brown, ridged, and furrowed.

Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, and texture: 

The alternate, simple leaves have rounded lobes. They are dark green in summer, changing to yellow-brown in fall.

Flower arrangement, shape, and size: 

The inconspicuous male and female flowers are on the same plant, but in separate structures.

Fruit, cone, nut, and seed descriptions: 

The 1 inch long oval acorns are borne on stalks that are 1 to 3 inches long.

Kindred Spirit® Ware’s oak (Quercus x warei ‘Nadler’): 

A columnar cultivar, growing 40 feet high by 6 feet wide with red-orange fall color. It is resistant to drought and powdery mildew.

Regal Prince® Ware’s oak (Quercus x warei ‘Long’):

A cultivar with a narrow habit, 45 feet high and 20 to 25 feet wide. It has excellent resistance to borers and powdery mildew.The fall color is yellow.

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