The Grayish Oak

The Grayish Oak or Ashy Oak (Quercus incana ou Quercus cinerea), Known as bluejack oak ou Upland willow oak in the United States, this tree belongs to the Fagaceae family and is native to the southeastern United States, including Alabama, Arkansas, North and South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia.

Its scientific name refers to its whitish-gray tomentose* twigs, with incana meaning “whitened” and cinerea cinerea meaning “ashy” in Latin.

The grayish oak was first described in 1791 by American botanist William Bartram (1739–1823).

Uses of the Grayish Oak

The grayish oak has coarse-grained, light brown wood with a reddish hue, primarily used as firewood.

Historically, its bark was also utilized for the dye it contains.

Characteristics of the Grayish Oak

The grayish oak is found in heathlands and on deep, dry, very acidic, well-drained sandy pine forests, as well as occasionally on the upper and mid-slopes of poorly drained areas, up to 250 meters in altitude.

A deciduous shrub or small tree, it typically grows to a height of 4 to 8 meters, often forming clonal thickets from root sprouts**. In some cases, it can reach up to 12 meters.Leaves: 3.5–15 cm long and 0.7–3.8 cm wide.
Acorns: Mature in two years, measuring 1–1.7 cm long and 1–1.6 cm wide, housed in saucer- or bowl-shaped caps covering one-quarter to half of the acorn.

*Tomenteux: Covered with fine hairs or a soft fuzz.

**Root sprouts: New shoots forming on the roots of a plant..

Visual © D.R.