Bluff Oak Quercus austrina
Other 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. The genus name, Quercus, is the Latin name for oak trees.
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.
Bluff Oak should be grown in full sun on well-drained soil and has good drought tolerance but is not salt tolerant. This tree can also tolerate periotic flooding and does well along streams or ponds. Grow a shade tree, along roads or in parks as it tolerates urban conditions well. Bluff oak compartmentalizes injuries protecting itself from decay.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Numerous insect and disease pests, but the damage is rarely significant. Susceptible to oak wilt, anthracnose, cankers, leaf spots, powdery mildew, and oak leaf blister. Potential pests include scales, oak skeletonizers, leaf miners, aphids, galls, orangestriped oakworm, buck moth, whitemarked tussock moth, and lace bugs. Chlorosis can occur if the pH in the soil is too high, resulting in iron deficiency.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and insects.
- 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:
- 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:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- 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
- 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
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- 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
