A native of North America, the water oak shows tremendous potential in its adaptability. It can thrive in a variety of soil types, including heavy, compacted soil and wet, swampy areas. This tree can be used effectively as a shade or street tree due to its versatility, but it is most frequently used to restore bottomland hardwood forests in the Southeast on land that was previously cleared for agriculture or pine plantations.  The biggest fans of the water oak, however, are the wide range of wildlife that enjoy the abundant fall crops of acorns. It can grow to a height of 80 feet.  It has a conical shape with a rounded crown and displays the typical oak leaf with three lobes at the tip. The water oak is a North American native and supplies and abundant crop of acorns in the fall.