This tree grows along the south side of Garland Hall, to the left of the door.

White oak leaves are fairly easy to recognize because of their large, rounded lobes.  Their acorns have caps with a pebbly surface.  The bark of large white oak trees is distinctive, with a grayish color and long, rounded, loose plates. 

This particular white oak tree provides an opportunity to observe the phenomena of sun and shade leaves.  The leaves near the edge of the canopy that are exposed to the bright sun tend to have deep sinuses and narrow lobes.  The leaves toward the center of the canopy that are shaded by leaves above have shallow sinuses and fewer, wider lobes. 

White oak is common in the wild in middle Tennessee.  It is also a common oak on Vanderbilt campus.  Its leaves and acorn are symbols of the university.