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Quercus phellos
  • Willow Oak

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

248px
Niche
  • Canopy
    Canopy
    There are no details available for this niche.
Functions
  • None
    None
    There are no functions defined for this plant. Do you know of some? Click the edit button to add them!
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • light shade
    Light shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsmoderate
    Moderate
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • acid,neutral,alkaline
    Unknown
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Loamy to Clay
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 6
    Zone 6
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Quercus phellos has 0 edible uses listed
Quercus phellos has 0 material uses listed
Quercus phellos has 0 medicinal uses listed

Uses

Edible uses

Notes

Seed - cooked[1][2][3]. Rather small, it is only 1cm long[4][5]. The seed 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.

Unknown part

Coffee

Seed

Unknown use

Material uses

A mulch of the leaves repels slugs, grubs etc, though fresh leaves should not be used as these can inhibit plant growth[6].

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[7]. The bark contains about 10% tannin and is a commercial source of that material[8]. Tannin is also found in the leaves and wood[8]. The seedcups are used as buttons[9].

Wood - close-grained, strong, not hard, heavy, not durable[10][11][12][13][14]. It weighs 46lb per cubic foot[14]. Of rather low quality for an oak but it is sufficiently abundant to be harvested commercially. The wood is used for construction, fellies of wheels and charcoal[10][11][12][13][14].

Unknown part

Buttons
Charcoal
Repellent
Tannin
Wood

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

A decoction of the wood chips or bark has been applied externally as an analgesic and as a bath for aches, pains, sores, cuts and haemorrhoids[15]. Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc[7].

Unknown part

Analgesic
Astringent
Salve

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Canopy

Ecological Functions

Nothing listed.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

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[4]. Trees should not be left in a nursery bed for more than 2 growing seasons without being moved or they will transplant very badly.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Quercus phellos. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

Prefers a good deep fertile loam which can be on the stiff side[16][4]. Lime tolerant[17]. Young plants tolerate reasonable levels of side shade[5]. Tolerates moderate exposure, surviving well but being somewhat stunted[5].

Although it prefers warmer summers than are usually experienced in Britain[5], this species thrives in this country[4], though it rarely sets seed here[18]. Trees commence to bear seeds when about 20 years old in the wild and good crops are usually produced annually[19]. The tree flowers on new growth produced in spring, the seed taking two summers to ripen[19]. A very ornamental plant[16]. Intolerant of root disturbance, trees should be planted in their permanent positions whilst young[4]. Hybridizes freely with other members of the genus[5].

This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[20][5].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Quercus phellos. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Quercus phellos.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Quercus phellos
Genus
Quercus
Family
Fagaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
[1][2][3][4][5]
Medicinal uses
[15][7]
Material uses & Functions
[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
Botanic
[4][21][5]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
6
Heat Zone
?
Water
moderate
Sun
full sun
Shade
light shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Soil Texture
loamy, clay
Soil Water Retention
Environmental Tolerances
  • Strong wind
Ecosystems
Native Climate Zones
None listed.
Adapted Climate Zones
None listed.
Native Geographical Range
None listed.
Native Environment
None listed.
Ecosystem Niche
Canopy
Root Zone Tendancy
None listed.
Life
Deciduous or Evergreen
deciduous
Herbaceous or Woody
woody
Life Cycle
perennial
Growth Rate
moderate
Mature Size
20 x 10 meters
Fertility
?
Pollinators
Wind
Flower Colour
?
Flower Type
monoecious

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"image:Quercus-phellos-USFWS.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Quercus-phellos-USFWS.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.


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"image:Quercus-phellos-USFWS.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki."image:Quercus-phellos-USFWS.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.






References

  1. ? 1.01.1 Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (1972-00-00)
  2. ? 2.02.1 Howes. F. N. Nuts. Faber (1948-00-00)
  3. ? 3.03.1 Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing (1976-00-00)
  4. ? 4.04.14.24.34.44.54.6 Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (1981-00-00)
  5. ? 5.05.15.25.35.45.55.65.7 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
  6. ? 6.06.1 Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. ISBN 0-88266-064-0 (1978-00-00)
  7. ? 7.07.17.27.3 Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 (1984-00-00)
  8. ? 8.08.18.2 Rottsieper. E.H.W. Vegetable Tannins The Forestal Land, Timber and Railways Co. Ltd. (1946-00-00)
  9. ? 9.09.1 Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-23310-3 (1976-00-00)
  10. ? 10.010.110.2 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (1959-00-00)
  11. ? 11.011.111.2 Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable ISBN 0094579202 (1974-00-00)
  12. ? 12.012.112.2 Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. ISBN 0-486-20278-X (1965-00-00)
  13. ? 13.013.113.2 Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press (1952-00-00)
  14. ? 14.014.114.214.3 Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. ISBN 0292780206 (1982-00-00)
  15. ? 15.015.1 Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-453-9 (1998-00-00)
  16. ? 16.016.1 F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
  17. ? Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-86318-386-7 (1990-00-00)
  18. ? McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books ISBN 0-901361-21-6 (1985-00-00)
  19. ? 19.019.1 Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. ISBN 0442238622 (1980-00-00)
  20. ? RHS. The Garden. Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society (1987-00-00)
  21. ? Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. (1950-00-00)

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Retrieved from "https://practicalplants.org/w/index.php?title=Quercus_phellos&oldid=79992"
Facts about "Quercus phellos"RDF feed
Article is incompleteYes +
Article requires citationsNo +
Article requires cleanupYes +
Belongs to familyFagaceae +
Belongs to genusQuercus +
Has binomial nameQuercus phellos +
Has common nameWillow Oak +
Has drought toleranceIntolerant +
Has edible partUnknown part + and Seed +
Has edible useCoffee + and Unknown use +
Has environmental toleranceHigh wind +
Has fertility typeWind +
Has flowers of typeMonoecious +
Has growth rateModerate +
Has hardiness zone6 +
Has imageQuercus-phellos-USFWS.jpg +
Has lifecycle typePerennial +
Has material partUnknown part +
Has material useButtons +, Charcoal +, Repellent +, Tannin + and Wood +
Has mature height20 +
Has mature width10 +
Has medicinal partUnknown part +
Has medicinal useAnalgesic +, Astringent + and Salve +
Has primary imageQuercus-phellos-USFWS.jpg +
Has search namequercus phellos + and willow oak +
Has shade toleranceLight shade +
Has soil ph preferenceAcid +, Neutral + and Alkaline +
Has soil texture preferenceLoamy + and Clay +
Has sun preferenceFull sun +
Has taxonomic rankSpecies +
Has taxonomy nameQuercus phellos +
Has water requirementsmoderate +
Inhabits ecosystem nicheCanopy +
Is deciduous or evergreenDeciduous +
Is herbaceous or woodyWoody +
Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
PFAF cultivation notes migratedNo +
PFAF edible use notes migratedNo +
PFAF material use notes migratedNo +
PFAF medicinal use notes migratedNo +
PFAF propagation notes migratedNo +
PFAF toxicity notes migratedYes +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
Tolerates windYes +
Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +
Has subobjectThis property is a special property in this wiki.Quercus phellos +, Quercus phellos +, Quercus phellos +, Quercus phellos +, Quercus phellos +, Quercus phellos +, Quercus phellos +, Quercus phellos +, Quercus phellos + and Quercus phellos +