Photo from iNaturalist user John Kees

Photo from iNaturalist user John Kees

Photo from FANN

Photo from FANN

Phonetic Spelling KWER-kus oss-TRY-nuh Plant Type: Tree Plant Height: 40’-60’ Plant Spread: 40’-60’ Sunlight Preference: Full sun Soil Preference: Good/well-drained soils with neutral pH. Can take periodic flooding but not waterlogged areas. Uses in Landscaping: Shade tree to replace live oaks, along roadsides in right of ways, accent tree in a partial shade garden. Does not get as large as other oaks though so good for small spaces as well. Ease of purchase/acquiring: Relatively easy as nurseries are starting to carry this more and more and typically sold as liners. How and When to Plant: Plant when dormant and then water for the first year until established, TreeGator bags can be useful when establishing single trees. Upkeep: Prune and upkeep just like any other oak. Trees can be susceptible to pests. Charismatic/ID Features: Flowers/Fruits: Fruits are acorns that mature to blackish brown. Leaves: Leaves are simple and opposite, leaves have variable lobing to none on high up leaves on mature trees. Leaves lack hairs on both surfaces and have rounded lobes as well. Bark: Bark is white and light gray and appears to be peeling up in plates, plates run up and down on the tree almost parallel at times.