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Quercus austrina is often confused with:
Quercus nigra Quercus nigra
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Quercus bicolor Habit
Quercus nigra Quercus nigra
Quercus robur Form
Quercus austrina has some common insect problems:
Common Insect Pests of Oak in North Carolina
Oak Pest Management Calendar
Quercus austrina has some common disease problems:
Common Disease Pests of Oak in North Carolina

Quercus austrina

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
KWER-kus oss-TRY-nuh
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

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:
Tags:
#shade tree#full sun tolerant#wildlife plant#native tree#moths#street tree#acorns#nighttime garden#oak tree#pollinator plant#larval host plant#deciduous tree#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
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#shade tree#full sun tolerant#wildlife plant#native tree#moths#street tree#acorns#nighttime garden#oak tree#pollinator plant#larval host plant#deciduous tree#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
  • 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