A medium oak with cross-shaped leaves and small but reliable acorn crops. Drought-tolerant and fire-resistant; foundational species of Cross Timbers oak savanna in Texas.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
Quercus stellata, the post oak or iron oak, is a North American species of oak in the white oak section. It is a slow-growing oak that lives in dry areas on the edges of fields, tops of ridges, and also grows in poor soils, and is resistant to rot, fire, and drought. Interbreeding occurs among white oaks, thus many hybrid species combinations occur. It is identifiable by the rounded cross-like shape formed by the leaf lobes and hairy underside of the leaves.
Source: Wikipedia — Quercus stellata Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Medium tree with distinctive deeply-lobed leaves with cross-shaped pattern; gray bark; small acorns.
Similar species. Other white oaks. White Oak (rounder lobes).
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. N/A — photosynthesis
Behavior. Drought-tolerant oak of upland forests in eastern US. Long-lived.
§ Range
Eastern and central US
§ Habitat
Dry rocky slopes, fields, oak savannas
§ Threats
Conversion of oak savanna to row crops, fire suppression.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the post oak is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Plant native post oak in dry sites. Support prescribed fire in oak savannas.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Quercus stellata
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Quercus stellata
- iNaturalist · taxon 49157
- IUCN Red List — search for Quercus stellata
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Quercus stellata
§ Sources cited
- USDA Forest Service Silvics Manual
