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Graceful Oak Quercus canbyi

Other Common Name(s):

Previously known as:

  • Quercus alamarensis
  • Quercus graciliformis
Phonetic Spelling
KWER-kus KAN-bee-eye
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Chisos Oak is a tardily deciduous red oak shade tree native to Texas and Mexico. It has a pyramidal form in youth and an open irregular shape at maturity. It normally reaches 40 to 50 feet tall but can grow up to 80 feet in Mexico. It has been grown successfully as far north as Springfield, IL. The glossy green leaves and slender elegant branches make it a nice shade tree.  Once established it is drought tolerant.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems;  Susceptible to scales, orangestriped oakworm, buck moth, whitemarked tussock moth, and spider mites, Armillaria, Anthracnose and root rot are occasional problems.  Dried fruits dropping on the ground can cause litter issues around hardscaped areas.

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:
Tags:
#deciduous#shade tree#full sun tolerant#drought tolerant#moth caterpillar host#salt tolerant#squirrel friendly#nighttime garden#oak tree#slender branches#pollinator plant#larval host plant#deciduous tree#bird friendly#food source hard mast fruit#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#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#deciduous#shade tree#full sun tolerant#drought tolerant#moth caterpillar host#salt tolerant#squirrel friendly#nighttime garden#oak tree#slender branches#pollinator plant#larval host plant#deciduous tree#bird friendly#food source hard mast fruit#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#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Quercus
    Species:
    canbyi
    Family:
    Fagaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    TX and Mexico
    Wildlife Value:
    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. Nuts attract birds and squirrels.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Irregular
    Rounded
    Spreading
    Maintenance:
    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)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    24-60 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Gold/Yellow
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Nut
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Acorn brown and yellowish 1/2" singly or in pairs with the cup covering 1/2 of nut, with nearly flat scales. Matures in 1 year from August to October;
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Catkin
    Insignificant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Description:
    Separate male and female flowers on the same tree, inconspicuous. Male flowers in yellow catkins.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Red/Burgundy
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Lanceolate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    > 6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    6-8 inch long and 2-3 inch wide glossy leaves resembling holly are lanceolate to elliptic with pointed, bristle-tipped apex and base acute, obtuse or rounded. Margins have teeth that are bristle-tipped. Dark green on the upper sides and yellow-green underneath. Fall color may have red tones.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Brown
    Dark Gray
    Green
    Bark Description:
    Bark brown-green, smooth, becoming dark grey and warty
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Red/Burgundy
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Form:
    Straight
    Stem Lenticels:
    Not Conspicuous
    Stem Surface:
    Smooth (glabrous)
    Stem Description:
    Twigs are red-brown, shiny and thin becoming glabrous, with rare, inconspicuous lenticels. Terminal buds are red-brown, ovoid to conical.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Lawn
    Recreational Play Area
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Children's Garden
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Nighttime Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Shade Tree
    Street Tree
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Moths
    Pollinators
    Small Mammals
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Salt
    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:
    Gallotannin
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No