Uses
Edible uses
Notes
Seed - raw or cooked
[1]. The large seeds are sweet and can be eaten out of hand
[1]. The seed can be ground into a powder and used in making bread, dumplings etc and as a thickener in soups
[1]. If the seed is bitter then this is due to the presence of tannins, these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the dried and ground up seed in water, though many minerals will also be lost. 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.
Material uses
A mulch of the leaves repels slugs, grubs etc, though fresh leaves should not be used as these can inhibit plant growth
[2].
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[3].
Wood - hard, heavy, strong, tough, very durable, close grained.
Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc
[3].
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. This species is a hybrid and may not breed true from seed[K].
Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Quercus x bebbiana. 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
[4]. Lime tolerant
[5]. Succeeds in a hot dry position. Young plants tolerate reasonable levels of side shade
[6]. Tolerates moderate exposure, surviving well but being somewhat stunted
[6]. A vigorous, fast-growing hybrid species, some forms are capable of reaching 1.5 metres tall in 2 years
[1].]. Established plants are drought resistant
[7] and tolerant of atmospheric pollution
[8].
This species is occasionally cultivated for its edible seed, there are some named varieties[1]. It is a hybrid of garden origin, Q. alba x Q. macrocarpa[1]. Both of its parents prefer warmer summers than are usually experienced in Britain, often growing poorly in this country and failing to properly ripen their wood, resulting in frost damage overwinter[4][6].
The tree flowers on new growth produced in spring, the seed ripening in its first year[6][7].
Hybridizes freely with other members of the genus[6].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus
[6].
Crops
Problems, pests & diseases
Associations & Interactions
There are no interactions listed for Quercus x bebbiana. 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 x bebbiana.
Descendants
Cultivars
Varieties
None listed.
Subspecies
None listed.
Full Data
This table shows all the data stored for this plant.
Taxonomy
Binomial name
Quercus x bebbiana
Imported References
Material uses & Functions
Uses
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Ecosystems
Native Climate Zones
None listed.
Adapted Climate Zones
None listed.
Native Geographical Range
None listed.
Native Environment
None listed.
Root Zone Tendancy
None listed.
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