Water Oak. The water oak tree is a largely southern species, growing mostly in the upper regions of Florida and across Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas. Water oaks feature thin bark that closely resembles peeling paint, while its leaves are teardrop-shaped and smooth with no pointed lobes.any Americans have oak trees in their yards, but some have no idea which oak species it is. According to Savatree, around 400 oak species exist.