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Quercus cerris

turkey oak

Fagaceae

Southern and central Europe and Asia Minor

Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 6–9

Overview

Quercus cerris is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree reaching 80-120 feet (25-37 m) tall with a broad, domed crown spreading 50-70 feet (15-21 m). The bark is grey-brown, deeply fissured into rough plates, often with orange tones in the cracks. Leaves are 3-5 inches (7-12 cm) long, oblong, and cut into 7-9 pairs of triangular, bristle-tipped lobes, dark green and rough above, greyish and downy beneath. The buds are surrounded by long, slender, whisker-like stipules, a feature that separates it from other oaks. Acorns are 0.8-1.5 inches (2-4 cm) long, set in cups covered in soft, spreading, mossy scales, and ripen in their second autumn. It grows quickly on a wide range of soils, including dry, sandy, and chalky ground, and tolerates wind and coastal exposure better than many oaks. The species seeds freely and has naturalised in parts of Britain and North America, where it can spread into woodland. It also hosts the gall wasp whose knopper galls deform the acorns of native oaks, which limits its use near Quercus robur. Autumn colour is muted, the leaves turning dull brown and often hanging late.

Native Range

Quercus cerris is native to southern and central Europe and Asia Minor, from France and the Balkans east to Turkey. It grows in mixed deciduous woodland and on dry hill slopes, often on poor or limy soils.

Suggested Uses

Planted as a fast-growing shade and specimen tree in large gardens, parks, and shelterbelts, and used for timber and firewood. Its tolerance of poor, dry soils suits it to exposed and reclaimed sites where slower oaks struggle.

How to Identify

Identify by the oblong leaves with 7-9 pairs of sharp, bristle-tipped lobes, rough to the touch, and by the long whisker-like stipules around the buds and shoots. The acorn cups are covered in soft, spreading, moss-like scales, unlike the smooth cups of common oak. The deeply fissured grey bark often shows orange in the cracks.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height80' - 120'

Width/Spread50' - 70'

Reaches mature size in approximately 50 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~2 weeks

Spring

Like other oaks it flowers in spring as the leaves expand, with greenish-yellow male catkins hanging in clusters and tiny female flowers on the same tree. Wind carries the pollen, and no scent or nectar is produced. Acorns develop slowly and ripen in the second autumn after flowering.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay chalk

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

Reaches large size in 30-50 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in full sun on almost any well-drained soil, including dry, sandy, chalky, and poor ground, in an open position with room for a large crown. Young trees grow rapidly and establish easily, needing water only through the first season or two in dry weather. The species tolerates wind, drought, and coastal exposure once rooted. It casts heavy shade and seeds freely, so seedlings may appear in surrounding ground. Pruning is limited to removing dead or crossing wood in winter on young trees. Mature trees need little care beyond space.

Pruning

Prune only to remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches, in late autumn or winter while the tree is dormant. Early shaping of young trees builds a sound branch framework. Large established oaks are left unpruned apart from safety work.