Quercus stellata Wangenheim. Subgenus: Quercus. Section: Quercus. Subsection: Stellatae. Common name: Post Oak, Iron Oak. Phenology: Apr; Sep-Nov (of the same year). Habitat: Upland forests and woodlands, especially in clay or rocky soils and in communities at least formerly exposed to fire. Distribution: Se. MA, s. NY, s. PA, s. OH, s. IN, s. IA, and e. KS south to n. peninsular FL and c. and se. TX. In KS, OK, and TX, post oak is one of the trees that forms the Prairie boundary.
ID notes: Fall color of Quercus stellata is rusty orange.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: There is no question of the distinctness of Q. margaretiae and Q. similis from Q. stellata. See Q. similis.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Fl2, FNA3, G, Il, K4, NcTx, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV; = Quercus minor (Marshall) Sarg. — S13; = Quercus stellata Wangenh. var. stellata — F, GrPl; = Quercus villosa Walter; < Quercus stellata Wangenh. — Mo3; Quercus stellata Wangenh. — (basionym)
Links to other floras: = Quercus stellata - FNA3
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: UPL
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: UPL
- Great Plains: FACU
- Midwest: FACU
- Northcentral & Northeast: FACU
Heliophily ⓘ: 8
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Horticultural Information
Intro:
Stems: Pith continuous. Young twigs (1-year-old or less) brown or gray or orange or reddish-brown or yellow, (2-)3-5 mm wide, pubescent, stellate or tomentose. Twigs (2-4 years old) glabrous or pubescent. Leaf scars half-round, bundle scars numerous, stipule scars inconspicuous, stipule scars not circumferential. Bark of mature trunks checkered or furrowed or ridged. Buds axillary or terminal, bud clusters at ends of twigs present, brown or reddish-brown, (2-)3-4(-6) mm long, globose or ovoid or ovoid-conic, blunt or sharp, glabrate or pubescent, bud scales imbricate.
Leaves: Leaves deciduous, simple, petiolate, alternate or spiral, 4-15(-20) cm long, 2-10(-12) cm wide, elliptic or obdeltoid or obovate, leaf margins entire, shallowly lobed or moderately lobed or deeply lobed, pinnately lobed, leaf lobes (3-)5 per leaf, leaf apices rounded, leaf bases attenuate or cordate or cuneate or obtuse. Leaf upper surface green or yellow-green, glabrate or pubescent, stellate. Leaf lower surface brown or gray or yellow-green, pubescent, stellate or stipitate glandular. Leaf venation pinnate, secondary veins on either side of the midvein 3-5. Petioles 0.3-1.5(-3) cm long, pubescent. Stipules present, caducous, not circumferential.
Inforescence: Inflorescences axillary, catkins or flowers solitary or spikes, flowers sessile.
Flowers: Flowers unisexual, epigynous. Perianth. Calyx radially symmetric, synsepalous. Sepals (2-)6(-8) per flower, caducous. Corolla absent. Androecium. Stamens (2-)6(-12) per flower, separate. Gynoecium. Ovaries inferior, pistils 1 per flower. Gynoecium syncarpous, 3 carpels per flower, styles 3 per pistil, placentation axile. Other floral features. Hypanthia present, involucres present.
Fruits: Fruits accessory fruits or acorns or nuts, 1-3 cm long, brown, fruit maturation 1 years.
Comments: Staminate flowers in pendent catkins, pistillate flowers solitary or in few- to many-flowered spikes; pistillate flowers enclosed by a scaly involucre which develops into the acorn cup.
Height: to 85 feet
plant sale text: A mature post oak has a dense, rounded crown, with its height about the same as its width. Fall color varies, with individual trees showing a range of shades of yellow and brown. This handsome specimen, produces many massive horizontal limbs. Post oak is found growing in poor upland clay or sandy soils. Called post oak because its durable wood serves very well when made into fence posts. The species name, stellata, refers to its star-shaped hairs that are found on the underside of its leaves.
bloom table text:
description:
stems: Pith continuous. Young twigs (1-year-old or less) brown or gray or orange or reddish-brown or yellow, (2-)3-5 mm wide, pubescent, stellate or tomentose. Twigs (2-4 years old) glabrous or pubescent. Leaf scars half-round, bundle scars numerous, stipule scars inconspicuous, stipule scars not circumferential. Bark of mature trunks checkered or furrowed or ridged. Buds axillary or terminal, bud clusters at ends of twigs present, brown or reddish-brown, (2-)3-4(-6) mm long, globose or ovoid or ovoid-conic, blunt or sharp, glabrate or pubescent, bud scales imbricate.
leaves: Leaves deciduous, simple, petiolate, alternate or spiral, 4-15(-20) cm long, 2-10(-12) cm wide, elliptic or obdeltoid or obovate, leaf margins entire, shallowly lobed or moderately lobed or deeply lobed, pinnately lobed, leaf lobes (3-)5 per leaf, leaf apices rounded, leaf bases attenuate or cordate or cuneate or obtuse. Leaf upper surface green or yellow-green, glabrate or pubescent, stellate. Leaf lower surface brown or gray or yellow-green, pubescent, stellate or stipitate glandular. Leaf venation pinnate, secondary veins on either side of the midvein 3-5. Petioles 0.3-1.5(-3) cm long, pubescent. Stipules present, caducous, not circumferential.
inflorescence: Inflorescences axillary, catkins or flowers solitary or spikes, flowers sessile.
flowers: Flowers unisexual, epigynous. Perianth. Calyx radially symmetric, synsepalous. Sepals (2-)6(-8) per flower, caducous. Corolla absent. Androecium. Stamens (2-)6(-12) per flower, separate. Gynoecium. Ovaries inferior, pistils 1 per flower. Gynoecium syncarpous, 3 carpels per flower, styles 3 per pistil, placentation axile. Other floral features. Hypanthia present, involucres present.
fruits: Fruits accessory fruits or acorns or nuts, 1-3 cm long, brown, fruit maturation 1 years.
comments: Staminate flowers in pendent catkins, pistillate flowers solitary or in few- to many-flowered spikes; pistillate flowers enclosed by a scaly involucre which develops into the acorn cup.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern United States