Oaks have a reputation as slow trees, and for many species that reputation is fair. But “oak” covers a large group, and growth rates vary more than most people expect. The Morton Arboretum rates pin oak as fast-growing and describes northern red oak as “one of the faster growing oaks for the home landscape,” while white oak and bur oak are rated moderate to slow.

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The short answer: most oaks grow at a slow to moderate rate. Among common landscape oaks, pin oak is rated fast and northern red oak and swamp white oak moderate by The Morton Arboretum, while white oak and bur oak are moderate to slow. The USDA Forest Service notes white oak “generally has the reputation of being a slow-growing tree,” but it is also one of the longest-lived.

Growth rates of common oaks

Oak	Growth rate	Mature height	Mature width
Pin oak (Quercus palustris)	Fast	60 to 70 ft	40 to 50 ft
Northern red oak (Q. rubra)	Moderate; “one of the faster growing oaks”	60 to 75 ft	60 to 75 ft
Swamp white oak (Q. bicolor)	Moderate	50 to 60 ft	50 to 60 ft
White oak (Q. alba)	Moderate to slow	50 to 80 ft	Up to 100 ft
Bur oak (Q. macrocarpa)	Moderate to slow	70 to 80 ft	70 to 80 ft

All figures are from The Morton Arboretum’s tree profiles.

The red oak group tends to grow faster

Oaks fall into two broad groups. Red oaks have pointed, bristle-tipped leaf lobes, and white oaks have rounded lobes. Pin oak and northern red oak belong to the red oak group, and they are the faster growers in the table.

The USDA Forest Service backs this up with forest data. In the Central States, it reports 10-year trunk diameter growth for white oak of about 1.2 inches for seedlings and saplings, 1.37 inches for poles and 1.84 inches for sawtimber. It notes these rates were slower than scarlet oak, northern red oak and black oak, all red oaks, but faster than chestnut oak.

Why white oak has a slow reputation

The Forest Service says white oak “generally has the reputation of being a slow-growing tree.” It also explains that young white oaks can persist under a forest canopy for more than 90 years, then respond well when released into light. Released trees can double their diameter growth over a 20-year period compared with trees that stay shaded.

In other words, part of white oak’s slow reputation reflects competition for light. Given more light, it speeds up, though the Morton Arboretum still rates it moderate to slow in landscapes.

Slow growth comes with long life

Slow-growing oaks are some of the longest-lived trees in eastern North America. The Morton Arboretum describes white oak as “a massive, long-lived stately tree,” and the Forest Service records individual white oaks 150 feet tall and 600 years old. Our article on the life span of an oak tree covers the differences between species.

Fast oaks have trade-offs

Pin oak’s speed comes with a serious drawback in some regions. The Morton Arboretum says it “suffers greatly from chlorosis (yellowing) of the leaves due to high soil pH” and is no longer recommended for landscapes where soil pH is high. Before choosing pin oak for quick shade, test your soil.

Northern red oak is a good middle ground for many yards. The Arboretum notes its tolerance of salt and air pollution, which makes it useful in more exposed sites.

Choosing an oak for faster shade

If speed matters, a practical approach is:

Test soil pH. In acidic to neutral soil, pin oak is a fast option. In alkaline soil, avoid it.
Consider northern red oak for a moderate pace, a broad crown and good tolerance of urban conditions.
Plant white or bur oak if you are planting for the long term and want a tree that will outlive you.
Give it full sun and space. Shade and crowding slow any oak, as the Forest Service release data show.

Can you make an oak grow faster?

Good site conditions matter most: full sun, room to spread and steady moisture while young. Fertilizer is not a growth booster. The Morton Arboretum warns that excess nitrogen makes plants grow faster than normal with softer, more succulent leaves that are more prone to fungal disease, and it recommends feeding only when a test shows a deficiency. Our guide on the best time to fertilize oak trees explains when feeding is worth it.

The bottom line

Oak trees are generally slow to moderate growers, but not uniformly. Pin oak grows fast, northern red oak is among the faster common oaks, and white and bur oaks are moderate to slow but extremely long-lived. Choose by your soil and how long you plan to enjoy the tree.

Sources

White Oak, The Morton Arboretum
Bur Oak, The Morton Arboretum
Northern Red Oak, The Morton Arboretum
Pin Oak, The Morton Arboretum
Swamp White Oak, The Morton Arboretum
White Oak, Silvics of North America, USDA Forest Service
How and When to Use Fertilizer on Plants, The Morton Arboretum

Top photo: Jonathan Billinger, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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