{"product_id":"water-oak-quercus-nigra","title":"Water Oak (Quercus nigra)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eWater Oak \u003cem\u003e(Quercus nigra)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater Oak is the bayou's most adaptable canopy tree — a fast-growing, semi-evergreen oak that thrives in the wet, warm conditions of Louisiana's bottomlands and urban landscapes alike. Its distinctive spatula-shaped leaves — variable in form, sometimes lobed, sometimes entire — hold on through mild Louisiana winters, giving the tree a semi-evergreen quality that sets it apart from other native oaks. It is one of the most common and beloved shade trees of the Cajun and Creole South.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBotanical Profile\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFamily:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fagaceae (Beech family)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative Range:\u003c\/strong\u003e Southeastern United States from New Jersey to Florida and west to Texas; one of the most abundant native trees in Louisiana's bottomland forests, bayou edges, and urban landscapes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 6–9\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMature Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50–80 feet tall, 40–60 feet wide\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Time:\u003c\/strong\u003e March–April (catkins); small acorns ripen October–November\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to part shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moist to wet; tolerates clay, standing water, and periodic flooding; one of the most flood-tolerant native oaks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEcological Role\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater Oak's small, round acorns — produced in extraordinary abundance — are a critical food source for Wood Ducks, Mallards, Teal, Wild Turkey, and over 80 bird and mammal species. It supports over 400 species of Lepidoptera caterpillars. Its semi-evergreen canopy provides year-round cover for roosting birds, and its large size creates the structural complexity that old-growth forest wildlife requires. It is one of the most ecologically productive native trees in the Gulf South.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCultural Heritage\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater Oak is the quintessential shade tree of the Louisiana Cajun and Creole landscape — the tree under which families gathered, children played, and communities formed. Its fast growth — 2 to 3 feet per year under good conditions — made it the preferred shade tree for Acadian homesteads, providing canopy within a generation. Its acorns were used by Indigenous peoples as a food source after leaching, and its wood was used for fuel and rough construction throughout the Cajun country.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eIn the Living Canopy \u0026amp; Understory\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart of the \u003cem\u003eJardin — The Living Canopy \u0026amp; Understory\u003c\/em\u003e collection at Big Mamou Enterprises, Water Oak is the bayou garden's fastest path to canopy — generous, adaptable, and deeply rooted in Louisiana's living heritage.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Mamou Enterprises","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49766013927664,"sku":null,"price":2.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0824\/7171\/5056\/files\/image_02a2bf0b-d02e-456a-bbe7-a92849c4d83a.png?v=1779824016","url":"https:\/\/realtimecajun.com\/products\/water-oak-quercus-nigra","provider":"Big Mamou Enterprises","version":"1.0","type":"link"}