Practical
Plants

Quercus velutina

Black 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
moderate
Height
30 m
Spread
25 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

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

Seed - cooked[2][4][5][13]. The seed is up to 25mm long and wide[11]. 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 contains 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.

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 inner bark contains quercitannic acid and is used medicinally, mainly as a mild astringent[11]. It is inferior to the bark of white oaks because it contains large amounts of tannin[11]. The bark is astringent, disinfectant, emetic, febrifuge and tonic[13]. It is used in the treatment of chronic dysentery, intermittent fevers, indigestion, asthma and lost voice[13]. An infusion has been used as a gargle for sore throats, hoarseness colds etc[13]. The bark can be chewed as a treatment for mouth sores[13]. An infusion of the bark has been used as a wash for sore and chapped skin[13]. A decoction of the crushed bark has been used as a wash for sore eyes[13]. Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc[14].

Product or use
Antiaphonic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Disinfectant
Product or use
Emetic
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
Salve
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[14]. The bark is a source of tannin[16][17][6]. A yellow dye is obtained from this tree[12]. The bark is a rich source[3][16][17][6] whilst the seed can also be used[1]. The dye is reddish-yellow according to one report and does not need a mordant[13]. Wood - heavy, hard, strong, coarse grained. It weighs 43lb per cubic foot[11]. Of little value except as a fuel[17][6]. Commercially important according to another report[12]. The wood is used for rough lumber, cross-ties etc[11].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Fuel
Product or use
Repellent
Product or use
Tannin
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - Maine to Ontario, Minnesota, Florida and Texas.
Habitat
Dry woods[15]. Often found on poor dry sandy, heavy clay soils or on gravelly uplands and ridges[17][11].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
loamy, 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[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 fairly fast-growing tree[7]. Rather slow-growing according to another report which also says that trees rarely live longer than 200 years[11]. Trees commence bearing seeds when 15 - 20 years old. Production is cyclic with a year of high yields being followed by 1 - 2 years of low yields[12]. The seed takes 2 summers to ripen[10]. There are several named varieties selected for their ornamental value[9]. Intolerant of root disturbance, trees should be planted in their permanent positions whilst young[3]. Established trees often produce lots of suckers[10]. 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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩

  5. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩

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

    ↩

  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

  10. Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0889025649

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  12. 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

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

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

    ↩1↩2

  15. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  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↩3↩4

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