Quercus austrina

• 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.

• Whole Plant Traits:

  Plant Type:

  Tree

  Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:

  Deciduous

  Habit/Form:

  Open

  Oval

  Rounded

  Growth Rate:

  Medium

  Maintenance:

  Medium

  Texture:

  Medium

• 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

• 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.

• Flowers:

  Flower Color:

  Brown/Copper

  Gold/Yellow

  Flower Inflorescence:

  Catkin

  Insignificant

  Flower Bloom Time:

  Spring

  Flower Description:

  Yellow-brown male catkins

• 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.

• Bark:

  Bark Color:

  Light Gray

  Surface/Attachment:

  Ridges

  Bark Description:

  The bark is scaly, pale gray and contains broad ridges.

• 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.

• 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

• 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