Quercus lyrata
Overcup Oak
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Quercus genus in the family Fagaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - cooked. The seed is about 25mm long[5], it can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread. The seed is fairly sweet and does not contain many bitter tannins[3]. It does not require much leaching but any bitterness can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost. Either the whole seed can be used or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder. It can take several days or even weeks to properly leach whole seeds, one method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can tell when the tannin has been leached. The traditional method of preparing the seed was to bury it in boggy ground overwinter. The germinating seed was dug up in the spring when it would have lost most of its astringency. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute.
- Product or use
- Coffee
- Plant part
- Seed
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The leaves and bark are astringent[10][11]. Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc[8].
- Product or use
- Astringent
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A mulch of the leaves repels slugs, grubs etc, though fresh leaves should not be used as these can inhibit plant growth[4]. Oak galls are excrescences that are sometimes produced in great numbers on the tree and are caused by the activity of the larvae of different insects. The insects live inside these galls, obtaining their nutrient therein. When the insect pupates and leaves, the gall can be used as a rich source of tannin, that can also be used as a dyestuff[8]. Wood - close-grained, hard, tough, strong, heavy, very durable in contact with the ground[12]. It weighs 51lb per cubic foot. Used for construction, tools, furniture etc[10][12][6].
- Product or use
- Repellent
- Product or use
- Tannin
- Product or use
- Wood
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Canopy
Environment
- Range
- Central and South-eastern N. America - New Jersey to Florida, west to Mississippi and Texas.
- Habitat
- Bottomlands and wet woods[9], usually on rich soils[12]. Wet, poorly-drained heavy clay soils[6][7].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 5+
- Soil textures
- loamy, clay, heavy clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Tolerances
- high wind
- Wind
- Yes
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - it quickly loses viability if it is allowed to dry out. It can be stored moist and cool overwinter but is best sown as soon as it is ripe in an outdoor seed bed, though it must be protected from mice, squirrels etc. Small quantities of seed can be sown in deep pots in a cold frame. Plants produce a deep taproot and need to be planted out into their permanent positions as soon as possible, in fact seed sown in situ will produce the best trees[2]. Trees should not be left in a nursery bed for more than 2 growing seasons without being moved or they will transplant very badly.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a good deep fertile loam which can be on the stiff side[1][2]. Young plants tolerate reasonable levels of side shade[5]. Tolerates moderate exposure, surviving well but being somewhat stunted[5]. Prefers warmer summers than are usually experienced in Britain, trees are not well suited to the British climate and usually grow poorly here. They fail to properly ripen their wood which results in frost damage overwinter[5]. A slow-growing but long-lived tree[6], it takes 25 - 30 years before it starts to produce seeds[7]. The tree flowers on new growth produced in spring, the seed ripening in its first year[5][7]. Large crops are produced every 3 - 4 years with low production in the intervening years[7]. Intolerant of root disturbance, trees should be planted in their permanent positions whilst young[2]. Hybridizes freely with other members of the genus[5]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[5].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4
Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0292780206
Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X