Most woodlands and all communities have one or more species of oaks as a component. It can be argued that, no other group of trees is more important to both rural and urban forests in Iowa. Iowa oaks are separated into either of two groups-red oaks or white oaks. It is a bottomland species, tolerates wet and poorly drained soils which are acidic. It is fairly easy to transplant, grows faster than most oaks, and is adapted to a wide range of sites.
Red oak is the most valuable of the red oaks for lumber production.
Shingle oak is relatively easy to transplant and has become more common in the urban landscape. Black oaks vary greatly in their appearance because of genetic diversity and because they hybridize with other species of red oaks. It will grow on a variety of sites, from moist cove sites, with deep soil to the drier ridges and southern exposures. Iowa white oaks live to 400 years and the largest white oak in Iowa is more than 57 inches in diameter. Swamp white oak is used frequently as a shade tree, but should not be planted on non-acidic soils because it also may suffer from iron chlorosis.