Practical
Plants

Quercus stellata

Post Oak

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Quercus genus in the family Fagaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Fagaceae
Genus
Quercus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
20 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - raw or cooked[15][16][2]. A sweet taste[5]. The seed is up to 25mm long and 18mm wide[17][9], 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 from some trees might contain bitter tannins, these 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[7][12].

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 bark is astringent, disinfectant, emetic, febrifuge and tonic[12]. An infusion is used in the treatment of chronic dysentery, indigestion, asthma, lost voice and intermittent fevers[12]. The bark can be chewed to treat mouth sores[12]. An infusion of the bark can be used as a wash on sore and chapped skin[12]. Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc[13].

Product or use
Antiaphonic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Disinfectant
Product or use
Emetic
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Tonic

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[8]. 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[13]. Wood - very heavy, hard, close grained, very durable in contact with the soil but difficult to cure. It weighs about 52lb per cubic foot. It is largely used for fencing, lumber, furniture and fuel[14][15][17][4][5][6][10].

Product or use
Repellent
Product or use
Tannin
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
South-eastern N. America - Massachusetts to New York, Iowa, Florida and Texas.
Habitat
Rocky or sandy ridges and outcrops, also in dry woodlands in a variety of soils including gravelly, sandy, poor upland soils and heavy moist loamy soils, where it reaches its greatest height[11].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerances
high wind, drought
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

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[3]. 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][3]. Young plants tolerate reasonable levels of side shade[9]. Tolerates moderate exposure, surviving well but being somewhat stunted[9]. Prefers warmer summers than are usually experienced in Britain, trees often grow poorly in this country and fail to properly ripen their wood resulting in frost damage overwinter[9]. A slow-growing drought resistant tree, it takes 20 - 30 years before it produces seed[11]. It then usually produces a good crop of seeds every 2 - 4 years[11]. The tree flowers on new growth produced in spring, the seed ripening in its first year[9][11]. Intolerant of root disturbance, trees should be planted in their permanent positions whilst young[3]. Hybridizes freely with other members of the genus[9]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[9].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-292-78958-3

    ↩

  5. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

    ↩1↩2

  6. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

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  7. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  8. Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0

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  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  10. Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0292780206

    ↩

  11. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  13. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2

  14. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  15. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2

  16. Howes. F. N. Nuts. Faber 1948-00-00

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  17. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2

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