Post Oak (Quercus stellata)

Location and Notable Facts

  • Other names
    •  N/A
  • Scientific Family
    •  Fagaceae (Beech Family)
  • Discovery
    •  N/A
  • Size (Width/Height/Growth/DBH)
    •  Can reach height of up to 80 feet and 2 feet in diameter
  • Colors
    •  Not spectacular ranging from brown to yellow
  • Bloom/Seed/Fruit
    •  Acorns up to 3/4 inch long, sometimes to 1 1/4 inches, the cup without the fringe found in Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa). 

Quercus-stellata-acorn--Bruce-Kirchoff--CC-BY-NCPhoto credit to NC State University 

  • Leaf Arrangement
    •  Simple and Alternate; Leaf blades variable, 3 to 5 inches long or longer, wavy margined to deeply lobed; the lobes rounded and up to 4 on each side, the upper pair often much larger than the others.  

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Photo credit to Illinois Wildflowers

  • Bark Arrangement
    •  Dark gray to reddish gray

Quercus-stellata-bark--Bruce-Kirchoff--CC-BY-NC

Photo credit to NC State University

  • Invasive/Non-invasive
    •  Non-invasive
  • Native/Non-native
    •  Native
  • Pests/Disease
    •  N/A
  • Comparisons to similar trees
    •  N/A
  • Usefulness
    • As a Shade Tree and many commercial lumber uses
  • Local Location / History: 
    • Located at the Garland County Courthouse, 607 Ouachita Avenue 
    • Survived the fire of 1913 that completely destroyed the Garland County Courthouse
    • Estimated to be around 150 years old
    • Is registered as an Arkansas Famous and Historic Tree 

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