Olmsted White Oak

The slow growth of white oak makes them ideally structurally suited for placement near buildings and in landscapes. They also provide the highest ecosystem benefits of any species found in the eastern United States, including supporting hundreds of vertebrate and invertebrate animal species, providing stormwater interception and relieving urban heat island effects.

There are two original white oak trees still living on the U.S. Capitol campus today.

About the Olmsted Originals

Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted's 1874 General Plan for the U.S. Capitol Grounds sought to create a setting to accentuate the monumentality of the Capitol Building. Approximately 45 of Olmsted's trees remain today, having endured more than a century of urban life on the front stage of American democracy.

Each tree has its own unique features and preservation challenges, and the Architect of the Capitol's arborists employ industry best management practices to ensure these trees are given the very best care to remain safely in the landscape for current and future generations to enjoy.