Quercus alba

In Quercus alba the rays represent 28% of the wood volume and in other oak species 19-32% in most other hardwoods the rays occupy about 15% but only 8% of the wood volume in the conifer Sequoia sempervirens (13). The large rays of the oak are so spaced and numerous that a molecule of water diffusing through the side of a barrel must cross five or more large rays if it exits on a straight path or follow a much extended path if it is to go around the rays interposed. These large rays no doubt contribute to the strength and bendability of oak as well as to its dimensional stability and relative impermeability. 

Chatonet, P. and Dubourdieu, D. (1998). Comparative study of the characteristics of American white oak (Quercus alba) and European oak (Querqus petraea and Q. robur) for production of barrels used in barrel aging of wines. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 30, 61. 

Glabasnia, A. Hofmann, T. 2007. Identification and sensory evaluation of dehydro-and deoxy-ellagitaimins formed upon toasting of oak wood Quercus alba L.). J. Agric. Food Chem. 55 4109-4118. 

Quercus alba, also known as American white oak, and two European species, Quercus roburh. and Quercuspetraea Liebl, the former also known as pedunculate oak and the latter as sessile oak, are the species most frequently used in coopering. 

Diaz-Maroto, M. C., Guchu, E., Castro-Vazquez, L., de Torres, C., Perez-Coello, M. S. (2008). Aroma active compounds of American oak Quercus alba) and Prench, Hungarian and Russian oak woods Quercus petraea) studied by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry. Flavour Fragr. J., 23, DOI 10.1002/ffj.l858. 

Garten C. T., Jr. and Hanson P. J. (1990) Foliar retention of N-nitrate and N-ammonium by red maple (Acer mbmm) and white oak (Quercus alba) leaves from simulated rain. Environ. Exp. Bot. 30, 33-342. 

Quercus alba, White oak. Tonic local application, fomentation, gargle, c. - - -... 

Quercus N.F. Bark Quercus alba North America... 

Quercus alba L./White oak Quercus alba L./White oak Quercus coccinea Muenchh./Scarlet oak Quercus falcata Michx./Southern red oak Quercus ilicifolia Wangenh./Scrub oak Quercus marylandica Muenchh./Blackjack oak... 

Quercus alba. White oak. Quercus alba. W. IV. 448. Cortex. The lark. 

More recent data of R.Kuperman (1999) on interaction of biogeochemical cycles during litter decomposition have supported this trend. White oak (Quercus alba L.) leaf litter decomposition rates and patterns of N, S and P immobilization and release in decomposing litter were quantified in Oak-Hickory Forest ecosystems in the Ohio river valley for a long term (several decades) bulk atmospheric deposition gradient... 

The twelve new and twelve used barrels used in this experiment were made of American white oak (Quercus alba, fine grain) or French oak (Quercus petraea from the Allier forest in France), and were obtained from the same cooperage firm in Spain with the same specifications (medium toast level). The used barrels had been used three times for the aging of Monastrell wine and they were sanitatied before use by burning sulphur inside. The following barrels were used in the experiment 220 liter French oak barrel (3 new barrels and 3 used barrels) 220 liter American oak barrels (3 new barrels and 3 used barrels) 500 liter American oak barrels (3 new barrels and 3 used barrels) and 1000 liter American oak barrels (3 new barrels and 3 used barrels). 

Figure 1. Light microscopy photomicrograph of radial section of white oak (Quercus alba group) from unidentified marine wreck from New Brunswick Canada. Iron salts have precipitated inside pits (5-p.m diameter) on the radial walls of small vessels and in ray parenchyma cells.

In the USA, the dominant species is American white oak (Quercus alba). This species has a low phenol content and a high concentration of aromatic substances, especially methyl-octalactone, which strongly affect the flavor of wine during aging (Table 13.17). 

Glabasnia A, Hofmann T. Sensory-directed identification of taste-active ellagitannins in American (Quercus alba L.) and European oak wood (Quercus robur L.) and quantitative analysis in bourbon whiskey and oak-matured red wines. / Agric Food Chem. 2006 54 3380-3390. 

Chatonnet P, Ricardo-Da-Silva J-M, Elubourdieu D (1997) Inlluence de I utilisation de barriques en chene sessile europeen (Quercus petrae) ou en ehene blanc amerieain (Quercus alba) sur la composition et la qualite des vins rouges. Rev Fr Oenol 165 44—48... 

Figure 66. Expected percentage of trees showing uptake with distance from application spot for sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) the white oak group (Quercus alba Q. steUata) dogwood (Comus florida), hickories (Carya spp.), the black oak group (Q. velutina, Q.falcata Q, coccinea, Q. rubra, Q. marilandica), and red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Based on probit analyses. From Brown and Woods (1968).

In a different use of a radionuclide tracer, Crossley and Witkamp (1964) studied the effects of naphthalene on arthropods and the breakdown of forest litter. They used white oak leaves (Quercus alba) that had been tagged with Cs by tree-trunk inoculation. The experiment involved placing different amounts of naphthalene flakes on plots of leaf litter. Litter bags containing the tagged leaves were placed on the plots, and the loss of s and the number of arthropods were determined at weekly intervals. The investigators observed a difference between the control and treated plots in the s retention in the litter bags. They commented ... 

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