Chestnut Oak Quercus montana
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Chestnut Oak:
Previously known as:
- Quercus prinus f. viridis
- Quercus prinus var. lata
- Quercus prinus var. monticola
- Quercus prinus var. oblongata
- Quercus prinus var. palustris
- Phonetic Spelling
- KWER-kus MON-tah-nuh
- Description
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Chestnut oak is a medium to large native deciduous tree in the white oak family. It is native to the eastern and central USA including the mountains and Piedmont of NC. It is often found growing in poor, dry and rocky soils but does best in well-drained loams. Chestnut Oak is drought tolerant once established.
In spring separate male and female flowers appear and are followed by fairly large acorns that have high wildlife value for many birds and mammals. The mature bark is distinctive with tight ridges and is similar to the chestnut tree.
Use as a shade tree in parks or large yards.
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).
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Sensitive to soil compaction.
- 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:
- montana
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used as fence posts, fuel, railroad ties and tannin extract used in processing leather
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mid to southeastern U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- Maine south to Georgia west to Louisianna to Mississippi north to Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Michigan throughout the New England States.
- 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. Important food source for songbirds, ruffed grouse, wild turkey, mice, deer, and other mammals
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Dimensions:
- Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 50 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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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
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- 1-1.5-inch acorn with a reddish-brown cup with fused scales that covers 1/3 the length of the acorn. They appear singly or in pairs in the fall and are stalkless or nearly so. In North Carolina, acorns are available from September to November.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Male flowers are yellow-green in catkins. Female flowers are on short stalks. Generally blooms in spring but in North Carolina, flowers are available in April.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 4-8 inch long oval dark green leaves have a pointed tip and are coarsely toothed (some say shallowly lobed). The undersides are gray-green with hairs. Reddish-yellow fall foliage.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- Thick dark reddish-brown bark with deeply divided broad rounded ridges.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Smooth/Hairless
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Cluster of terminal buds
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- The twigs are light brown, hairless, and thick with numerous lenticels. Buds light brown and hairless.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Heat
- Poor Soil
- Problems:
- Problem for Horses
