Plant DetailShow Menu

Native alternative(s) for Quercus oglethorpensis:
Quercus phellos Quercus phellos
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Quercus georgiana Form
Quercus imbricaria Form
Quercus petraea Form
Quercus oglethorpensis has some common insect problems:
Common Insect Pests of Oak in North Carolina
Oak Pest Management Calendar
Quercus oglethorpensis has some common disease problems:
Common Disease Pests of Oak in North Carolina

Quercus oglethorpensis

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
KWER-kus oh-gle-thorp-EN-sis
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Oglethorpe Oak was first discovered in 1940 in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. It is an endangered species native to the southeastern United States and is threatened by land use changes, competition, and chestnut blight disease caused by Cryphonectria parasitica. Conservation efforts are currently underway to save the tree by people like the Morton Arboretum. Several arboretums have established the tree.

It is a medium to large-sized tree with a pyramidal to oval crown which becomes rounded with age. Lower branches often droop. The crown usually appears filled with sprouts and a dense growth of twigs. The leaves are similar to the Willow Oak in shape and turn red-brown in the fall and persist into winter. The natural habitat is moist clay soils in the piedmont area of southeast US.

 

 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#deciduous#shade tree#full sun tolerant#moth caterpillar host#fall interest#endangered#deer resistant#nighttime garden#large spaces#oak#pollinator plant#larval host plant#clay soils tolerant#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#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#deciduous#shade tree#full sun tolerant#moth caterpillar host#fall interest#endangered#deer resistant#nighttime garden#large spaces#oak#pollinator plant#larval host plant#clay soils tolerant#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#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Quercus
    Species:
    oglethorpensis
    Family:
    Fagaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Alabama, NE. Georgia, W. South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi
    Distribution:
    GA , LA , MS , SC
    Wildlife Value:
    Mildly resistant to deer damage. Birds and mammals eat the acorns. 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.
    Play Value:
    Wildlife Food Source
    Edibility:
    Acorns (nuts) are edible after tannins are leached or boiled out.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 45 ft. 0 in. - 65 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Poisonous
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Oval
    Pyramidal
    Rounded
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Occasionally Wet
    Available Space To Plant:
    24-60 feet
    NC Region:
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Nut
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    0.5 in. dark brown acorn enclosed 1/3 by a cup which is top-shaped, with appressed scales. They mature in 1 year;
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Catkin
    Insignificant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Description:
    Male and female flowers grow on the same tree. Male flowers are borne on hanging slender catkins and females are borne on short spikes.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Leathery
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Red/Burgundy
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Oblanceolate
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Sinuate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Dark green leaves which are hairless above and light green beneath with yellowish pubescence. Leaves persist into winter. They are 2-5 inch long and 1/2 - 2 inches wide. Margins are smooth to wavy.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Light Brown
    Light Gray
    Surface/Attachment:
    Ridges
    Bark Description:
    The bark is gray-brown, tight and quite hard, with broad, irregular ridges and very shallow furrows.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Gray/Silver
    Red/Burgundy
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Young twigs are reddish-brown and hairless. On older twigs and branches grayish.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Lawn
    Meadow
    Naturalized Area
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Nighttime Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Shade Tree
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Moths
    Pollinators
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Wet Soil
    Problems:
    Problem for Horses
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    Poison Symptoms:
    Stomach pain, constipation and later bloody diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination if young leaves or raw acorns eaten.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin.
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Fruits
    Leaves