Quercus stellata
post oak
Central and southeastern North America
Overview
Quercus stellata is a slow-growing, deciduous oak native to the central and southeastern United States, common on dry, poor sites where larger oaks struggle. It typically reaches 30-50 feet (9-15 m) tall with a broad, rounded crown of similar spread, and grows taller on better ground. The leaves are 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) long, leathery and dark green above, with a cross-shaped outline formed by two large squarish middle lobes. The bark is gray-brown, ridged and blocky, and the stout branches often grow at twisting angles. As a member of the white oak group it bears acorns that mature in a single season, each 0.5-0.75 inch (1.3-2 cm) long and set in a bowl-like cap covering about a third of the nut. The acorns feed deer, turkey, squirrels, and other wildlife. It grows in full sun on dry, sandy, rocky, or clay soils and tolerates heat and drought, but grows poorly on rich, moist sites and declines when roots are disturbed or compacted. The dense, hard wood is durable in contact with the ground, behind the name post oak and its long use for fence posts and railway ties.
Native Range
Native to the central and southeastern United States, from Massachusetts and New York south to Florida and west to Kansas, Oklahoma, and central Texas. It grows on dry uplands, sandy plains, rocky ridges, and the post oak savanna, often on poor soils.Suggested Uses
Used as a shade and specimen tree for dry, difficult sites, in native woodland plantings, and for wildlife and restoration on poor soils. It suits large rural and naturalized landscapes where its slow growth and broad crown have room to develop.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height30' - 50'
Width/Spread30' - 50'
Reaches mature size in approximately 30 years
Bloom Information
As with other oaks, the small wind-pollinated flowers open with the new leaves in spring. Male flowers hang in slender yellow-green catkins while tiny female flowers sit in the leaf axils. Pollinated flowers develop into acorns that ripen in a single autumn.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
Dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
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