Sessile Oak Quercus petraea

• Attributes:

  Genus:

  Quercus

  Species:

  petraea

  Family:

  Fagaceae

  Uses (Ethnobotany):

  Lumber is used for various building items

  Life Cycle:

  Perennial

  Woody

  Recommended Propagation Strategy:

  Seed

  Country Or Region Of Origin:

  Europe to Northern Iran

  Wildlife Value:

  Many birds and mammals eat the acorns. 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.

  Play Value:

  Wildlife Food Source

  Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):

  Mildly resistant to deer damage.

  Edibility:

  Acorns (nuts) are edible after tannins are leached or boiled out.

  Dimensions:

  Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.

  Width: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.

• Whole Plant Traits:

  Plant Type:

  Poisonous

  Tree

  Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:

  Deciduous

  Habit/Form:

  Rounded

  Growth Rate:

  Medium

  Maintenance:

  Medium

  Texture:

  Medium

• 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)

  Soil pH:

  Acid (<6.0)

  Alkaline (>8.0)

  Neutral (6.0-8.0)

  Soil Drainage:

  Good Drainage

  Available Space To Plant:

  more than 60 feet

  NC Region:

  Mountains

  Piedmont

  USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:

  4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b

• Fruit:

  Fruit Color:

  Brown/Copper

  Display/Harvest Time:

  Fall

  Fruit Type:

  Nut

  Fruit Length:

  1-3 inches

  Fruit Width:

  < 1 inch

  Fruit Description:

  1.2-inch oval acorns are stalkless and in clusters with a cap covering about 1/3 of the nut. They mature the first year.

• Flowers:

  Flower Color:

  Gold/Yellow

  Flower Inflorescence:

  Catkin

  Insignificant

  Flower Bloom Time:

  Spring

  Flower Description:

  The flowers form greenish-yellow drooping catkins. Flowering and leafing sprout together..

• Leaves:

  Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:

  Deciduous

  Leaf Color:

  Green

  Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:

  Gold/Yellow

  Leaf Type:

  Simple

  Leaf Arrangement:

  Alternate

  Leaf Shape:

  Obovate

  Leaf Margin:

  Lobed

  Undulate

  Hairs Present:

  Yes

  Leaf Length:

  3-6 inches

  Leaf Width:

  < 1 inch

  Leaf Description:

  3-5 inch leaves are glossy green above and pale and smooth to pubescent underneath with 4-6 pairs of rounded lobes.

• Bark:

  Bark Color:

  Dark Gray

  Bark Description:

  The bark is smooth and gray, later deeply fissured.

• Stem:

  Stem Color:

  Brown/Copper

  Gray/Silver

  Stem Is Aromatic:

  No

  Stem Lenticels:

  Not Conspicuous

  Stem Surface:

  Smooth (glabrous)

  Stem Description:

  Twigs grey-brown, shiny, hairless, angled, with small tawny lenticels

• Landscape:

  Landscape Location:

  Lawn

  Meadow

  Naturalized Area

  Landscape Theme:

  Butterfly Garden

  Nighttime Garden

  Pollinator Garden

  Design Feature:

  Shade Tree

  Specimen

  Street Tree

  Attracts:

  Butterflies

  Moths

  Pollinators

  Resistance To Challenges:

  Deer

  Poor Soil

  Wet Soil

  Wind

  Problems:

  Problem for Horses

• Poisonous to Humans:

  Poison Severity:

  Low

  Poison Symptoms:

  Stomach pain, constipation and later bloody diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination if young leaves or raw acorns eaten.

  Poison Toxic Principle:

  Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin.

  Causes Contact Dermatitis:

  No

  Poison Part:

  Fruits

  Leaves