Quercus cerris
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KWER-kus SAIR-iss
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Turkey Oak is a deciduous shade tree native to Europe and western Asia. It grows 40-60 feet tall and wide with a rounded crown and medium density. The acorns mature in 2 years and have a shaggy cup covering have the nut. The leaves are lobed and last into late fall but no fall color.
Turkey Oak tolerates a wide range of soils except for wet ones. It is drought and salt tolerant. Plant as a shade tree in a lawn or as a street tree. This tree can be difficult to find in the nursery industry.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
- 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:
- cerris
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe, Western Asia
- 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. Acorns are a fall and winter food source for some mammals.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- 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
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The acorns are .5 to 1 inch long in groups of 1-4 with cups that cover 1/2 of the nut. Cup is bristly and fringed. Matures in 18 months.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Yellow-green male catkins. Female flowers in small clusters.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Insignificant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 4"-5" long rough dark green lanceolate to oblong leaves. Margins are entire or toothed and have 3-8 pairs of lobes. Acute apex, base rounded to truncated. Hairs present on the undersides along the veins. They stay on the tree into late fall with little fall color.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Fissured
- Furrowed
- Bark Description:
- Dark gray ridged and furrowed bark reveals an orange color within its fissures
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Scaly
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Cluster of terminal buds
- Stem Bud Scales:
- Enclosed in more than 2 scales
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The young shoots are gray and tomentose. The branches have raised leaf scars. The buds are small and reddish-brown in clusters and the bud scales extend beyond the bud. Each bud has more than three scales.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Lawn
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Salt
- Problems:
- Messy
- Problem for Horses