Bartram Oak Quercus x heterophylla
- Phonetic Spelling
- KWER-kus het-er-oh-FIL-uh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Bartram Oak is a large deciduous tree in the Fabaceae (beech) family. It is found growing in the central and eastern United States as a naturally occurring hybrid between Q. phellos and Q. rubra where both trees are found to grow naturally. Being a hybrid, the leaves can be variable even on the same tree. The acorns tend to be small and nearly stemless. As with all oaks, it is a wildlife magnet for birds, butterflies, moths and mammals.
Plant it in the full sun in moist acidic soils. It does not need overly fertile soils to thrive. The crown is rounded with an open branching pattern and makes a great shade tree for a large yard, park or other public areas.
- 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
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and northeast U.S.A.
- Wildlife Value:
- Many caterpillars feed on oaks and provide food for birds. They provide nesting and shelter sites, and acorns feed birds and mammals.
- Play Value:
- Shade
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Wildlife Nesting
- Edibility:
- Acorns are edible once the tannins are leached out.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Open
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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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
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Sparse acorns look similar to Q. rubra but have larger caps.
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Flowers:
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Male flowers in catkins, 1 to a few female flowers are short
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Various leaf shapes from lanceolate to ovate, smooth to sparsely toothed margins and 6-7" long. Upper leaves are glossy and smooth undersides are lighter in color and have hairs in the vein axils. Red-brown fall color.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Ridges
- Scaly
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Gray bark remains smooth until the tree is very mature. Becomes shallowly furrowed into broad hard scaly ridges.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wind
