Quercus laevis

Common Names

Turkey Oak, Catesby Oak, Scrub Oak, American Turkey Oak

Summary

Quercus laevis is a deciduous small- to medium-sized oak native to the southeastern United States, from Virginia to central Florida and west to Louisiana, growing on dry sandy soils of ridges, pinelands, and dunes and often occurring in longleaf pine–scrub oak landscapes, distinctive features include turkey-foot shaped leaves with 3–7 bristle-tipped lobes, dark gray furrowed bark, and red to red-brown fall color, with acorns maturing after two summers, seeds show high germination (about 82%) after 60–90 days of cold stratification and the species is wind-pollinated and monoecious, Cultivation and uses: favors sunny, well-drained sandy sites with low competition and shows drought tolerance once established, though it is not salt-tolerant and not tolerant of long-term salt spray or saltwater inundation, it can be grown from seed, with cyclic seed production, Acorns provide wildlife food and are edible after tannins are leached, wood is heavy, hard, and strong but not of commercial timber value, while the tree serves as a larval host plant for several butterfly species and supports wildlife habitat in native, drought-tolerant landscapes

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

315-480 inches

Spread

122-270 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun, tolerates partial shade.

Soil Type

Dry, sandy, well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soils

Soil pH

Mildly acidic to mildly alkaline soils

Bloom Color

Gold/Yellow

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Red, bright red, dark red, brown, copper, gold, yellow

Fall Foliage Color

Red

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderately fast-growing

Seasons of Interest

All seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter)

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Vegetative reproduction (root collar sprouts, stump sprouts)

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts butterflies and birds