Oaks Quercus margarettae
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Oaks:
Previously known as:
- Quercus stellata var. margaretta
- Phonetic Spelling
- KWER-kus mar-GAR-et-tay
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Sand Post Oak is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to the southeastern U.S.A. from VA south to FL and west to TX. It is most commonly found in sandhills on open ridges, sandhill scrubs, and woods. It generally grows 30-40 feet tall or taller and is a slow-growing sometimes scrubby tree. It may take 20-30 years to produce acorns.
Sand Post Oak prefers sandy to gravelly soils in sun and is drought tolerant once established. It is occasionally used as a shade tree and to help stabilize sandy slopes.
It is a host plant for the larvae of the Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis), as well as numerous butterflies, including Banded hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), Edward's hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), White-m hairstreak (Parrhasius malbum), Horace's duskywing (Erynnis horatius), and Juvenalis duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis).
- 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:
- margarettae
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The wood is used for mining timbers, railroad ties, flooring, fence posts and siding.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and southeastern U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , FL , GA , LA , MO , MS , NC , OK , SC , TX , VA
- 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. Butterflies use this tree as a larval host. Birds and small mammals use this tree as a food source.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Description:
- Acorns are 1/2 inch long, light brown with a bowl-shaped cap that has thin scales and covers 1/3 to 1/2 of the acorn. They are sessile or have a short stalk. Mature in one year, ripen in fall.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Male flowers light green catkins, female flowers short reddish spikes
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are 2-4 inches long and 1-2 inches wide with a 3-5 irregularly lobed margin, base cuneate to rounded, apex broadly rounded. Thick textured. Shiny dark green above, light green and pubescent below.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Fissured
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- Gray to gray-brown, scaly initially and later developing vertical ridges and becoming darker.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Smooth/Hairless
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Cluster of terminal buds
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Smooth slender gray twigs with a reddish-brown terminal bud, ovoid with pointed apex, smooth or sparsely pubescent.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Problems:
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Stomach pain, constipation and later bloody diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination if uncooked leaves or fruit are eaten.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Fruits
- Leaves
