Quercus alba
White Oak
White Oaks are common at lower elevations in the neighboring Hudson Valley and Woodstock areas. The White Oak’s bark is not truly white but is more of an ash or light gray color. The Arboretum’s specimen was planted in 1993 as a single acorn by Pete and Bonnie Ahrens, the founders of the Arboretum. In reading the detailed records the Ahrens left behind, we learn that the acorn was sourced from Minnesota. Despite decades of nurturing, this tree has grown very slowly, likely due to the bedrock and shallow soil of the planting site.