• Hardiness: Winter hardy to USDA Zone 5.
• https://www.uky.edu/hort/Willow-Oak
• I have one in my yard, planted in 2001. It was a scrawny 7ft tree and is a beautiful towering tree now.

Thank you! They looked so beautiful towering over Arlington National Cemetery. I hope I could find one, they aren’t that common up north

Research how they are in heavy snow. (If you have a lot of snow.) We do not usually have that much snow. We did have a horrible cold snap last Christmas. It dropped from the 50"s down to around zero for several days. A lot of shrubs and trees didn't fare well, but the willow oak was fine.

We’ve been getting less snow, but it says for my town it averages 46 inches of snow per year

Henry, do you know how to use a search engine? If you Google under the botanical name, you will turn up various reputable websites that will provide all manner of hardiness details as well as other growing condition preferences. So you can find out all the info you need regarding suitability for your location without having to post these very basic questions here.

MOBOT - the Missouri Botanical Garden database - is a excellent resource for the Midwest.

I did google, I just wanted to know if people have had reliable experiences with the tree in a colder area

I just wanted to know if people have had reliable experiences

Exactly 'Henry'. This is so often why I post in this forum.

Willow oak will survive at your location, but it may not "thrive" since it is best adapted to long growing seasons with plenty of summer warmth. The few that I've seen in my area have grown slowly and appeared less than happy. If you decide to try one, see if you can find one from a northern seed source, or at least one that has been grown in your area.

I believe this is the Ohio state champion willow oak in Cincinnati (Google street view), so as you can see it grows well there. But Cincy would have a bit more summer warmth than your location.

We had a very hot summer this year, and I bet it’s just going to keep getting hotter

Wasn't sure I could find it, since I didn't know if it still would have leaves.

It came from Philadelphia in a 2 inch pot about 5 years ago. When I Googled for information, everything said it was hardy to zone 6, and not a lot else. It hasn't been through any real cold here, but has survived -10F, and a chipmunk burrowing under its roots.

IMO, shingle oak does the willow-oak thing w/branchiness and fine-textured leaves (perhaps even better) and is fully hardy further north than willow oak. But shingle oak is prb'ly hard to find.

I don't know that I've ever seen a willow oak, or a shingle oak for that matter. Or maybe I have and just don't know it. :0)

I'm not in a colder area, but I'm having a 2.5" caliper B&B Willow Oak planted in two weeks!

I visited Crystal Springs Rhody Garden (Portland, OR) in May and saw an incredible specimen towering over part of the garden. The tree was well over 100' with the first branch at least 35', a real monster. With those willow-like leaves though, I had no idea what it was, until I asked a worker. I simply had to have one, to shade our house and especially my wife's home office from the intense afternoon sun. But with those willowy leaves, the species is said to be good to garden under, because it doesn't create deep shade.