The small, narrow leaves of willow oak are quite different from most of the other oaks in middle Tennessee and without careful inspection one might think that a small tree was a willow. However, the clustered buds at the end of the twig are a sure sign that this tree is an oak. In the fall, large trees also produce acorns, which are also typical of oaks. The willow oak acorns are among the smallest produced by oaks.
Although not particularly common in middle Tennessee, some of Vanderbilt's largest trees are willow oaks, including the first tree seen on this tour and examples seen on the main campus tour. Walk away towards the center of the green to the next tree. next tree