The Post Oak

The Post oak(Quercus stellata), belongs to the Fagaceae family. The Post oak is native to the eastern half of the United States. Its range includes, United States: Alabama, Arkansas, North and South Carolina, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Altitude: Found from sea level to 750 meters, with the largest specimens growing in the Mississippi basin.

Its name stellata, stellata derives from the Latinstella referring to the star-shaped hairs on the underside of its leaves.

The species was introduced to Europe in 1800.

Uses of the Post Oak

The wood of the Post oak is a high-quality material used for construction, railroad ties, and fences (post which can mean “fence post” in English. It is also used as firewood and for charcoal production.

Native Americans used the Post oak to treat digestive problems, chronic dysentery, cracked skin, and as an antiseptic.

Characteristics of the Post Oak

The Post oak thrives in calcareous, dry, and warm soils that are light, gravelly, or sandy, often on ridges and well-drained slopes. It can also grow on heavy, compact clay soils in prairies and hills and tolerates low pH levels.

Foliage: Deciduous, reaching 12–20 meters in height, with exceptional specimens up to 30 meters, Leaves: Measure 4 to 20 cm long and 2 to 12 cm wide, with rounded or spatulate lobes. The upper two lateral lobes typically diverge at right angles from the midrib, giving the leaves a cross-shaped appearance, Acorns: Ovoid to globular, 1 to 2 cm long and 0.8 to 2 cm wide, solitary or grouped in clusters of three. They mature in one year and are housed in deep saucer-shaped cups that cover one-quarter to two-thirds of the acorn.

Visual © D.R.