swamp white oak

If you had a mature swamp white oak growing right next to a maple, would you remove one or the other?

Are they growing in the lawn, or in a wooded area?

In general, oaks are much longer-lived and are less likely to split or be wind damaged than maples. Oaks are slower growing, but that is balanced against the shorter life span of maples. Oak leaves are less likely to mat down and kill grass, something maples trees excel at, and oaks are also more deeply rooted. Maples are notorious for shallow roots that interfere with grass and other plantings, not to mention roots on the surface that interfere with mowing (if applicable). In the case of swamp oaks, they are often grown as street trees. In most every case, I'd choose an oak over a maple...unless you wanted to make syrup, lol.

John

I'd agree looks mostly like a swamp white oak (especially in NY), but might be hybridized w/another oak (don't know which). Here's my swamp white oak -- bark peels on young trunk & branches.