Sand Post Oak Quercus margarettae

• 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

• Whole Plant Traits:

  Plant Type:

  Native Plant

  Shrub

  Tree

  Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:

  Deciduous

  Habit/Form:

  Dense

  Erect

  Rounded

  Growth Rate:

  Slow

• 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

• 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.

• Flowers:

  Flower Color:

  Green

  Flower Inflorescence:

  Catkin

  Insignificant

  Flower Bloom Time:

  Spring

  Flower Description:

  Male flowers light green catkins, female flowers short reddish spikes

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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

• 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