Oaks Quercus austrina

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 many varieties of Quercus serve as host plants for the larvae of the Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) as well as a wide variety of butterflies, such as Banded hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), Edward's hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), White-m hairstreak (Parrhasius malbum), Horace's duskywing (Erynnis horatius), and Juvenal's duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis).

The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and insects.