Quercua Nigra - Water Oak Seedlings Details
Water Oak (Quercus nigra) Seedlings
Water Oak (Quercus nigra) is a fast-growing native oak of the South with a characteristic broad canopy. They thrive in compacted or poorly drained soil, bottomlands, and urban centers. As a member of the red oak group, the water oak grows fast and achieves a canopy spread of up to 70 feet and can grow as tall as 50-60 feet in the open.
Water oak is deciduous in the North and semi-evergreen in the Deep South, meaning it doesn’t drop its leaves until well into the winter. In the fall, some put on a show of bright yellow leaves for about a week.
The water oak is uncharacteristically short-lived, typically living for only 30-50 years. Additionally, the wood becomes weak and can drop branches or split in storms. Some water oaks also become hollow by age 40.
Food and Cover for Wildlife
Water oaks bear inconspicuous acorns that typically ripen within two years. Their broad crown provides a nesting place for birds, while the abundant acorns feed squirrels, wild turkeys, deer, and wood ducks. This makes it a popular choice for reclamation and bottomland restoration.
Water Oak Seedlings for Sale: Size, Planting, Preferences
Our water oak seedlings for sale come 6 to 12 or 12 to 18 inches tall, in packs of 50, 100, or 500. They grow in USDA Zones 6 to 10 and can thrive in acidic to slightly alkaline soil, typically favoring loam, clay, and sand. When established, they can tolerate drought.
This plant ships bare root. We recommend planting while it is still dormant by clearing weeds from a 2-foot circle around each spot. Space them at around 12 feet for restoration projects, but much farther for single planting. Note that their falling acorns can stain asphalt and concrete, so plant them away from driveways, patios, and houses. Water the seedlings weekly through the first summer, but expect slow growth in the first year while it establishes its roots.
Planting & Growing Information
Ships: Ships Between November 15–29
Planting Zone: 6–10
Height at Maturity: 50–80 Feet
Water Needs: Low, Moderate, and High (handles both flooding and drought)
Sun or Shade: Full sun and Partial shade
Bloom Season: March–April (catkins)
Care: Thrives in clay, loam, or sand and tolerates flooding, compacted soil, and drought once established. Water weekly through the first summer. Train young trees to a central trunk. Low salt tolerance.
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Plant Attributes: Fast-growing native oak, Heavy acorn crops for squirrels and other wildlife, Semi-evergreen in the Deep South
For more information about choosing and growing the right oak tree, read our Water Oak vs. Live Oak guide. You can also explore our tree seedlings collection to find more young trees for your landscape and planting projects.
