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Quercus cerris

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
KWER-kus SAIR-iss
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Turkey Oak is a deciduous shade tree native to Europe and western Asia.  It grows 40-60 feet tall and wide with a rounded crown and medium density. The acorns mature in 2 years and have a shaggy cup covering have the nut. The leaves are lobed and last into late fall but no fall color. 

Turkey Oak tolerates a wide range of soils except for wet ones. It is drought and salt tolerant. Plant as a shade tree in a lawn or as a street tree. This tree can be difficult to find in the nursery industry.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Numerous insect and disease pests, but the damage is rarely significant. Susceptible to oak wilt, anthracnose, cankers, leaf spots, powdery mildew, and oak leaf blister. Potential pests include scales, oak skeletonizers, leaf miners, aphids, galls, orangestriped oakworm, buck moth, whitemarked tussock moth, and lace bugs.

The many varieties of Quercus serve as host plants for the larvae of the Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) as well as a wide variety of butterflies, such as Banded hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)Edward's hairstreak (satyrium edwardsii)Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus)White-m hairstreak (Parrhasius malbum)Horace's duskywing (Erynnis horatius), and Juvenal's duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis).

The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and insects. 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#shade tree#moth caterpillar host#low maintenance#street tree#lawn tree#small mammals#nighttime garden#pollinator plant#larval host plant#food source fall#food source hard mast fruit#butterfly friendly#problem for horses#banded hairstreak butterfly#gray hairstreak butterfly#imperial moth#juvenal’s duskywing butterfly#edward’s hairstreak butterfly#white-m hairstreak butterfly#horace’s duskywing butterfly#butterfly caterpillar host#food source winter#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#shade tree#moth caterpillar host#low maintenance#street tree#lawn tree#small mammals#nighttime garden#pollinator plant#larval host plant#food source fall#food source hard mast fruit#butterfly friendly#problem for horses#banded hairstreak butterfly#gray hairstreak butterfly#imperial moth#juvenal’s duskywing butterfly#edward’s hairstreak butterfly#white-m hairstreak butterfly#horace’s duskywing butterfly#butterfly caterpillar host#food source winter#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Quercus
    Species:
    cerris
    Family:
    Fagaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Europe, Western Asia
    Wildlife Value:
    Oak trees support a wide variety of Lepidopteran. You may see Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May. Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), has one flight from May-July in the south and June-July in the north. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), has three to four flights in the south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) has three broods in the north from February-October. Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) has three broods in Texas and the deep south from January-November, and two broods in the north from April-September. Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) has one brood from April-June, appearing as early as January in Florida. Acorns are a fall and winter food source for some mammals.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Pyramidal
    Rounded
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    24-60 feet
    more than 60 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Fruit Type:
    Nut
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    The acorns are .5 to 1 inch long in groups of 1-4 with cups that cover 1/2 of the nut. Cup is bristly and fringed. Matures in 18 months.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Catkin
    Insignificant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Description:
    Yellow-green male catkins. Female flowers in small clusters.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Rough
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Insignificant
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Oblanceolate
    Leaf Margin:
    Dentate
    Entire
    Lobed
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    4"-5" long rough dark green lanceolate to oblong leaves. Margins are entire or toothed and have 3-8 pairs of lobes. Acute apex, base rounded to truncated. Hairs present on the undersides along the veins. They stay on the tree into late fall with little fall color.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Gray
    Surface/Attachment:
    Fissured
    Furrowed
    Bark Description:
    Dark gray ridged and furrowed bark reveals an orange color within its fissures
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Buds:
    Scaly
    Stem Bud Terminal:
    Cluster of terminal buds
    Stem Bud Scales:
    Enclosed in more than 2 scales
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    The young shoots are gray and tomentose. The branches have raised leaf scars. The buds are small and reddish-brown in clusters and the bud scales extend beyond the bud. Each bud has more than three scales.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Lawn
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Nighttime Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Shade Tree
    Street Tree
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Moths
    Pollinators
    Small Mammals
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Salt
    Problems:
    Messy
    Problem for Horses
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    Poison Symptoms:
    Abdominal pain, constipation then diarrhea (occasionally bloody), depression, frequent urination, discolored urine, jaundice; acorns can obstruct the digestive tract
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Gallotannin
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No