Quercus austrina
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KWER-kus oss-TRY-nuh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Bluff Oak is a native, deciduous oak tree found along the southeast USA from North Carolina south into Florida and west into Mississippi. It naturally occurs on well-drained, rich bottomland soils along streams and on river bluffs. It is becoming endangered in some areas.
It is small for an oak tree and the open rounded crown makes it a great shade tree. The fall colors are showy and the numerous acorns are loved by wildlife.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Quercus
- Species:
- austrina
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE North America
- Distribution:
- From Mississippi to the Carolinas
- Wildlife Value:
- Acorns attract squirrels and other mammals. 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.
- Edibility:
- Acorns are edible if tannins are leached or boiled out.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 45 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 35 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Open
- Oval
- Rounded
- 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)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The .5 to 1-inch brown acorns are oval and solitary or paired. They are 1/3 to 1/2 covered with a gray scaly cap. Matures in 1 year.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Yellow-brown male catkins
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Sinuate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 4-8 inch long and 2-4 inch wide leaves are narrow with shallow, rounded, irregular lobes or can be sinuate. Green to gray-green color with secondary veins on each side. Young leaves will have hairs and mature leaves do not. Fall color is copper, orange or yellow.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- The bark is scaly, pale gray and contains broad ridges.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Hairy
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Cluster of terminal buds
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Description:
- Branchlets are dark brown, with prominent, corky, whitish lenticels. Buds are dark brown, pointed and pubescent.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Problems:
- Messy
- Problem for Horses
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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