Oaks Quercus acutissima
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Oaks:
- Phonetic Spelling
- KWER-kus ak-yoo-TISS-ee-muh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Sawtooth Oak is a medium-sized tree from Asia that is considered invasive in some states. It grows up to 75 feet tall and is broad pyramidal becoming oval. It can produce acorns as young as 10 years of age and acorns are produced profusely on mature trees that are bitter and not a favorite of wildlife. Fall foliage is yellow, but brownish in the south and tardily deciduous. It is fast growing as a young tree and heat tolerant.
It prefers acidic, humusy, well-drained, moist soils in full sun but is adaptable to a variety of soil types. Acorns and involucral cups provide a messy litter layer of fruits and twigs. Use as a shade tree or street tree.
Consider planting native oak trees instead.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Potential insect pests include scale, oak skeletonizer, leaf miner, galls, oak lace bugs, borers, caterpillars and nut weevils. Chlorosis (yellowing of the leaves) is common in neutral to alkaline soils, and can severely damage this tree. It is on the watch list for invasive species in North Carolina.
Quick ID Hints:
- Leaves with parallel veins, each piercing teeth in slender bristle
- Involucral cups like twigs in bird's nest
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Quercus
- Species:
- acutissima
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Himalaya to China, Korea, Central & Southern Japan
- Distribution:
- East, southeast USA
- 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 food source for wildlife but not a favorite due to bitterness. This tree is mildly resistant to damage by deer.
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Food Source
- Edibility:
- Acorns (nuts) are edible after tannins are leached or boiled out.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 75 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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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
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are acorns that have involucral bracts in a cup with long spreading, recurved scales that resemble a bird's nest. The nut is about 1' long, and is covered 2/3 by the cup.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Golden drooping male catkins that emerge with leaves.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate, simple, lanceolate, lancelate-oblong to obovate, acuminate, rotund to broadly cuneate, serrate with broad teeth, lateral veins parallel, each extending past tooth in a bristle. They are 4-7.5" long and up to 2.5" wide. Leaves are dark green in color. They produce a golden brown to brown fall color and leaves persist into winter.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Black
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- Ridged and furrowed when young. Develops somewhat corky ridges with age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Cluster of terminal buds
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Twigs are red to gray-brown in color and smooth. Buds are gray-brown, pubescent on the bud scale edges and somewhat pyramidal. Buds are half an inch long and have imbricate scales.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Edible Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Humidity
- Wind
- Problems:
- Messy
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
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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:
- Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin.
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Fruits
- Leaves
