Quercus stellata Quercus stellata
Common Name(s):
- Post Oak
- Description
Quercus stellata, commonly called post oak, is a medium-sized deciduous oak of the white oak group that typically grows 35-50’ tall with a rounded crown. It is called post oak because its durable wood has been used for fence posts. It is commonly found on lower mountain slopes and coastal plains in the southeastern and southcentral U.S. The bark is scaly in younger trees. As the tree ages, a more blocky and a rigid appearance develops.
Seasons of Interest:
Leaves: Fall Blooms: Early spring Nut/Fruit/Seed: Fall
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Oaks are susceptible to a large number of diseases, including chestnut blight, shoestring root rot, anthracnose, oak leaf blister, cankers, leaf spots, and powdery mildew. This tree is resistant to oak wilt. Potential insect pests include scale, oak skeletonizer, leaf miner, galls, oak lace bugs, borers, caterpillars and nut weevils.
- Cultivars:
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- Cultivars:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Quercus
- Species:
- stellata
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern United States
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- It is a host plant for the Banded Hairstreak, Edward's Hairstreak, Grey Hairstreak, White-M Hairstreak, Horace's Duskywing, and Juvanals Duskywing butterflies. The acorns are eaten by woodpeckers, blue jays, small mammals, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, and black bear.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Enhancement
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- resistant to fire and mildly resistant to damage by deer.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 35 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Tree
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full Sun (Direct sunlight 8+ hours a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Description:
- The fruits are oval acorns (to 3/4” long), with bowl-shaped cups extending 1/3 to 1/2 the acorn length. The acorn requires one growing season to reach maturity.
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Flower:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Description:
- The Post oak has insignificant yellowish-green flowers in separate male and female catkins that appear in the spring as the leaves emerge.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves of the Post oak are rough and often leathery. They are alternate, simple and dark green (4-8” long) with 3-5 rounded lobes that have a cruciform appearance due to large wide-spreading central lobes. This tree has variable fall color, from non-showy to golden brown. The leaves persist into winter.
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Bark:
- Surface/Attachment:
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- The bark is scaly in younger trees. As the tree ages, a more blocky and a rigid appearance develops.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Dry Soil
- Poor Soil
- Similar plants:
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Quercus phellos
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Quercus falcata
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Quercus michauxii
