Comments
provided by eFloras
Typically on mesic alluvial and lowland sites, Quercus nigra also occurs on a wide variety of soil types and in a diversity of habitats.
Trees with 3-lobed leaves with attenuate bases have been recognized as Quercus nigra var. tridentifera Sargent.
Quercus nigra reportedly hybridizes with Q . falcata (= Q . × garlandensis E. J. Palmer), Q . incana , Q . laevis (= Q . × walteriana Ashe), Q . marilandica (= Q . × sterilis Trelease), Q . phellos (= Q . × capesii W. Wolf), Q . shumardii (= Q . × neopalmeri Sudworth), and Q . velutina ( Q . × demarei Ashe). In addition, D. M. Hunt (1989) cited evidence of hybridization also with Q . arkansana , Q . georgiana , Q . hemisphaerica , Q . laurifolia , Q . myrtifolia , Q . palustris , Q . rubra , and Q . texana.
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Description
provided by eFloras
Trees , deciduous or tardily deciduous, to 30 m. Bark grayish black, fissures irregular, shallow, inner bark pinkish. Twigs dark red-brown, 1.5-2.5 mm diam., glabrous. Terminal buds reddish brown, ovoid, 3-6.5 mm, puberulent throughout, occasionally densely pubescent on apical 2/3. Leaves: petiole 2-9 mm, glabrous. Leaf blade distinctly obtrullate, rarely elliptic or merely obovate, widest near apex, 30-120(-160) × 15-60(-70) mm, base attenuate or cuneate, rarely rounded, margins entire with 1 apical awn or with 2-3 shallow lobes and 2-5 awns (leaves on juvenile or 2d-flush growth may be deeply lobed with more awns), apex obtuse to blunt or rounded; surfaces abaxially glabrous except for minute or conspicuous axillary tufts of tomentum, veins rarely raised, adaxially glabrous with secondary veins somewhat impressed. Acorns biennial; cup saucer-shaped, 2.5-5.5 mm high × 10-18 mm wide, covering 1/4 nut or less, outer surface puberulent, inner surface sparsely to uniformly pubescent, scale tips tightly appressed, acute; nut broadly ovoid, 9.5-14 × 9.5-14.5 mm, often faintly striate, glabrate, scar diam. 6-11.5 mm.
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Distribution
provided by eFloras
Ala., Ark., Del., Fla., Ga., Ky., La., Md., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.C., Okla., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va.
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Flowering/Fruiting
provided by eFloras
Flowering spring.
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Habitat
provided by eFloras
Mesic alluvial and lowland sites, also barrens, dunes, hammocks, and low ridges to steep slopes; 0-450m.
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Synonym
provided by eFloras
Quercus nana Willdenow; Q. nigra var. tridentifera Sargent; Q. uliginosa Wangenheim
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- cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Common Names
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
water oak
possum oak
spotted oak
striped oak
pin oak
duck oak
punk oak
orange oak
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Description
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
treeWater oak is a medium-sized tree with glabrous twigs, membranous leaves,
and a straight, slender trunk. On a good site, water oak can reach 105
feet (32 m) in height and attain 6.5 feet (2 m) in d.b.h. It is
semievergreen in warmer parts of its range but completely deciduous in
other areas [
10,
43]. Water oak has a shallow, spreading rooting habit
[
50].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Distribution
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Water oak occurs on the Southeastern Coastal Plain from southern New
Jersey and Delaware to southern Florida and west to eastern Texas. It
occurs north along the Mississippi Valley to southeastern Oklahoma,
Arkansas, Missouri, and southwestern Tennessee [
50].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Fire Ecology
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
fire regime,
fuel,
root crownWater oak has relatively thin bark compared to other oaks [
55] and is
easily top-killed by even light fire. It survives fire by sprouting
from the root crown [
50]. Water oak's moist habitat and proximity to
water discourages fire entry. Water oak leaves and other fuel along
waterways are often moist and difficult to burn [
42]. Water oak is
excluded from upslope forests by periodic summer burning [
37].
Based on flame applied directly to living bark, water oak is less
resistant to fire than pine, southern magnolia, and sweet bay; of
more-or-less equal resistance as red maple (Acer rubrum), flowering
dogwood, water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica), and river birch (Betula nigra);
and more resistant than sweetgum, American holly (Ilex opaca), and black
cherry (Prunus serotina) [
17].
FIRE REGIMES : Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the
FEIS home page under
"Find FIRE REGIMES".
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Fire Management Considerations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
forest,
fuel,
fuel moisture,
prescribed fireHardwoods growing within a pine forest are often controlled with
prescribed fire. Water oaks up to 3 inches (7.6 cm) in d.b.h. are
top-killed and sprouts kept small and controllable with prescribed
winter fires. Summer fires are also effective but are more detrimental
to the wildlife food supply [
5]. Herbicides combined with fire can be
used to eradicate larger water oaks [
51].
Because water oak leaves and habitat are often moist, fuels should be
allowed to dry at least 3 weeks following a rain of 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) or
more. Some fires will not carry even under ideal conditions of less
than 4 percent fuel moisture, 20 to 30 percent relative humidity, and 2
miles (3.2 km) per hour winds within the stand [
42].
Burning has only a slight effect on the quality of water oak browse. In
one study, protein was slightly higher and phosphoric acid slightly
lower on burned plots than on unburned plots [
26].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Growth Form (according to Raunkiær Life-form classification)
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. More info for the term:
phanerophytePhanerophyte
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat characteristics
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
cover,
swampWater oak grows on levees, high ridges, and elevated margins of swamps,
rivers, and hydric hammocks which flood deeply and frequently but drain
rapidly because of relief [
6,
12,
20,
37,
49]. Water oak will also grow on
uplands to about 1,000 feet (300 m) in elevation where soils remain
moist [
10]. Water oak grows well on better drained silty clay or loamy
soils and poorly on poorly drained clay soils. It grows primarily on
Inceptisols [
50].
Water oak is weakly to moderately tolerant of seasonal flooding. It can
survive up to several months of flooded soil, but mortality is high if
this is a yearly occurrence. Generally, water oak is tolerant of
several weeks of flooding each growing season [
3,
7].
In addition to overstory associates mentioned in SAF cover types, common
associates of water oak include Nuttall oak (Quercus nuttallii), white
oak (Q. alba), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), pecan (Carya
illinoensis), winged elm (Ulmus alata), blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica),
white ash (Fraxinus americana), yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera),
southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), flowering dogwood (Cornus
florida), rough-leaf dogwood (C. drummondii), honeylocust (Gleditsia
triacanthos), Carolina laurelcherry (Prunus caroliniana), hawthorn
(Crataegus spp.), American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), swamp privet
(Forestiera acuminata), spruce pine (Pinus glabra) [
50].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat: Cover Types
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):
More info for the terms:
hardwood,
swamp70 Longleaf pine
74 Cabbage palmetto
80 Loblolly pine - shortleaf pine
81 Loblolly pine
82 Loblolly pine - hardwood
83 Longleaf pine - slash pine
84 Slash pine
85 Slash pine - hardwood
88 Willow oak - water oak - diamondleaf oak
89 Live oak
91 Swamp chestnut oak - cherrybark oak
92 Sweetgum - willow oak
93 Sugarberry - American elm - green ash
94 Sycamore - sweetgum - American elm
104 Sweetbay - swamp tupelo - redbay
111 South Florida slash pine
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat: Ecosystem
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):
FRES12 Longleaf - slash pine
FRES13 Loblolly - shortleaf pine
FRES14 Oak - pine
FRES16 Oak - gum - cypress
FRES17 Elm - ash - cottonwood
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat: Plant Associations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):
More info for the term:
forestK098 Northern floodplain forest
K111 Oak - hickory - pine forest
K112 Southern mixed forest
K113 Southern floodplain forest
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Immediate Effect of Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
forest,
hardwood,
top-killWater oak is easily damaged by fire [
50]. Low-severity surface fires
top-kill water oak less than 3 to 4 inches (7.6-10.2 cm) in d.b.h. The
bark of larger trees is thick enough to protect the cambium from
low-severity fires and the buds are above the heat of the fire. In a
study on the Santee Experimental Forest in South Carolina, periodic
winter and summer low-severity fires and annual winter low-severity
fires were effective at reducing the number of hardwood stems (including
water oak) between 1 and 5 inches (2.6-12.5 cm) in d.b.h. Annual summer
fires also reduced the number of stems in that size class, as well as
nearly eliminating all stems less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) in d.b.h. Root
systems were weakened and eventually killed by burning during the
growing season [
53].
The mean time in seconds for water oak cambium to reach the lethal
temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 deg C) when a standardized
flame was applied to living bark was 30.2 seconds for 0.2 inch-thick
(0.5 cm) bark, 61 seconds for 0.3 inch-thick (0.8 cm) bark, and 136
seconds for 0.4 inch-thick (1 cm) bark [
17].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Importance to Livestock and Wildlife
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
cover,
forestWater oak provides cover, food, and habitat for wildlife. Cavity
nesters such as the red-bellied woodpecker, great crested flycatcher,
and hairy woodpecker nest in water oak snags [
9]. A tall midstory of
water oak within a pine forest provides habitat for the southern flying
squirrel [
25].
Water oak acorns are eaten by many animals including squirrels,
chipmunks, waterfowl, blue jay, wild turkey, and northern bobwhite
[
8,
48]. Blue jays and squirrels cache acorns in the fall and return to
eat them in the winter [
8,
21,
44]. Acorns of the black oak group are an
especially important food source in the winter because those of the
white oak group germinate soon after falling and, therefore, are
unavailable [
41,
44]. Deer browse water oak [
16].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Key Plant Community Associations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
forest,
naturalWater oak occurs primarily in bottomland forests. The following
published classifications list water oak as a dominant species:
The natural communities of South Carolina [
33]
Forest vegetation of the lower Alabama Piedmont [
16]
Eastern deciduous forest [
52]
Forest associations in the uplands of the lower Gulf Coastal Plain [
36]
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Life Form
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
treeTree
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Management considerations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
cone,
hardwood,
stratificationWater oak is very susceptible to disease and insect attack when growing
on impervious or dry terrace soils [
38]. Trunk borers (Enaphalodes spp.
and Prionoxystus spp.) and leaf hoppers (Erythroneura spp.) attack water
oak along with root rot (Ganoderma curtisiicone) and cone rusts
(Cronartium spp.). Although not seriously harmed itself, water oak is
an extremely susceptible host to the alternate stage of fusiform rust
(Cronartium quercuum f. sp. fusiforme), a serious disease of southern
pines [
55]. Trunk canker and heart rot are caused by a variety of
organisms. Water oak is also parasitized by mistletoe (Phoradendron
flavescens) [
50].
Water oak is highly susceptible to air pollution, especially sulfur
dioxide. Flowers are easily killed by late frosts [
50].
Water oak has great potential for fiber production on sites to which it
is specifically adapted. Pine does poorly on many of these sites and
could be replaced with water oak [
23]. Clearcutting followed by
planting or direct seeding is the best method to establish hardwood
forests [
30]. Competing vegetation and destruction of acorns by
squirrels and chipmunks are the biggest problems associated with direct
seeding. Moisture is a major limiting factor for water oak regeneration
[
54]. Collection, storage, stratification, and viability testing of
water oak acorns are detailed [
4].
Nutria uproot and eat seedlings. Translucent plastic tubes placed
around newly planted seedlings were effective in protecting seedlings
from nutria in Louisiana [
2].
Herbicides such as 2,4,5-T, picloram, and glyphosate can be used to
control water oak in pine plantations [
31,
50].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Nutritional Value
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Water oak acorns have 4.9 percent crude protein, 17.6 percent crude
fiber, and 21.1 percent crude fat which makes them high in energy. They
are low in nitrogen and phosphorus [
41].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Occurrence in North America
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
AL AR FL GA LA MD MS MO NJ NC
OK SC TN TX VA
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Other uses and values
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
treeWater oak is used as a shade tree [
50].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Palatability
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Water oak acorns have a fairly high tannin content of 8.8 percent, which
limits palatability [
41]. In feeding trials to test acorn preference of
fox squirrels, water oak ranked sixth in preference among the 12
southeastern acorn species tested [
35].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Phenology
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. Water oak staminate and pistillate flowers develop shortly before or at
the same time as new leaves. Acorns mature in September of the second
year and are dispersed from September through November [
3,
50].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Plant Response to Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
root collarWater oak, including seedlings, sprout from the root collar if
top-killed by fire. Larger water oaks that survive fire but have fire
scars are extremely susceptible to butt and heart rot [
50]. After being
fire scarred, the average rate of spread of rot in water oak is 1.25
feet (0.4 m) per decade [
46].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Post-fire Regeneration
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Tree with adventitious-bud root crown/root sucker
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Regeneration Processes
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
hypogeal,
monoecious,
root crown,
seedSeed production and dissemination: Water oak is monoecious. It bears
seed by age 20, and production is good on alternate years. The heavy
acorns are disseminated by gravity, water, and animals [
50] such as blue
jays and ground squirrels, which cache acorns in the soil [
8,
21,
44].
Germination and seedling development: Seed viability is high.
Germination is hypogeal and occurs in the spring following maturation.
Because of a generally late spring emergence, seedling mortality from
flooding is low. The seedlings do not tolerate prolonged submergence.
Because of the large seed, young seedlings have high initial
survivorship regardless of available light, drought stress, or
herbivory. Seedlings require abundant moisture for the entire growing
season [
45,
50].
Under favorable conditions, water oak may grow 24 inches (60 cm) a
year [
50]. Water oak seedlings suppressed by shade, however, grew only
1.9 inches (4.7 cm) per year in a study along the Neches River in east
Texas [
45]. A suppressed individual will grow epicormic branches [
50]
Vegetative reproduction: If top-killed, water oak of all ages will
sprout fairly efficiently from the root crown [
38,
45,
50].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Successional Status
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. More info for the terms:
climax,
forest,
hardwood,
seedFacultative Seral Species
Water oak is intolerant to semi-intolerant of shade [
19,
34,
50]. It
germinates in shade but requires moderate light for development.
Because of slow early growth, water oak does not compete well [
50].
Water oak is a frequent early hardwood invader [
19]. In the absence of
fire, it invades and eventually succeeds pine forests [
11]. On
fine-textured loess soils that retain moisture, water oak will colonize
old abandoned fields if a seed source is nearby [
40]. As a hardwood
forest matures, water oak will stabilize or decline in abundance [
19].
Water oak is generally considered a subclimax or transitional species
[
19,
32,
50]. Because of its weak to moderate tolerance of seasonal
flooding, however, water oak may form a topographic climax on ridges
elevated less than 5 feet (1.5 m) above floodplains [
13,
32,
34].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Synonyms
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Quercus aquatica Walt.
Quercus microcarpa Small
Quercus nigra var. heterophylla (Ait.) Ashe
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Taxonomy
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
The currently accepted scientific name of water oak is Quercus nigra L.
[
25,
50]. It has been placed within the subgenus Erythrobalanus or black
oak group. There are no recognized varieties, subspecies, or forms.
Water oak hybridizes with the following species [
25,
50]:
x Q. falcata (southern red oak) = Q. X garlandensis Palmer
x Q. incana (bluejack oak) = Q. X caduca Trel.
x Q. laevis (turkey oak) = Q. X walteriana Ashe
x Q. marilandica (blackjack oak) = Q. X sterilis Trel.
x Q. phellos (willow oak) = Q. X capesii W. Wolf
x Q. shumardii (Shumard oak) = Q. X neopalmeri Sudw.
x Q. velutina (black oak) = Q. X demarei Ashe
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Value for rehabilitation of disturbed sites
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
hardwoodWater oak is frequently used to restore bottomland hardwood forests in
the Southeast on land that was previously cleared for agriculture or
pine plantations. Both direct seeding and planting methods work well
[
1,
27,
30,
54].
Water oak performed well when planted on fill slopes in Decatur County,
Tennessee. After 45 years, water oak averaged 96 feet (29.3 m) in
height, 15 inches (38 cm) in d.b.h., and had an average stocking of 96
trees per acre (237 trees/ha) [
27]. Water oak planted on
canal-excavated material along the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway had
intermediate survival (greater than 40 percent) and a mean growth of
44.7 inches (113.60 cm) in 5 years [
18].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Wood Products Value
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
fruitOn good sites water oak produces moderate quality factory lumber [
10],
but on poor sites the wood is knotty, mineral stained, and often insect
damaged [
38]. Water oak veneer is used as plywood for fruit and
vegetable containers [
50].
- bibliographic citation
- Carey, Jennifer H. 1992. Quercus nigra. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Associated Forest Cover
provided by Silvics of North America
Water oak is associated with the following tree species: willow
oak (Quercus phellos), laurel oak (Q. laurifolia),
Nuttall oak (Q. nuttallii), cherrybark oak (Q.
falcata), white oak (Q. alba), swamp chestnut oak
(Q. michauxii), American beech (Fagus grandifolia),
sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), pecan (Carya
illinoensis), American elm (Ulmus americana), slippery
elm (U. rubra), winged elm (U. alata), blackgum
(Nyssa sylvatica), green ash (Fraxinus
pennsylvanica), white ash (F. americana), yellow-poplar
(Liriodendron tulipifera), southern magnolia (Magnolia
grandiflora), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), roughleaf
dogwood (C. drummondii), honeylocust (Gleditsia
triacanthos), Carolina laurelcherry (Prunus caroliniana),
hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), American hornbeam
(Carpinus caroliniana), sugarberry (Celtis
laevigata), swamp privet (Forestiera acuminata), as
well as several softwoods including spruce pine (Pinus
glabra), loblolly pine (P. taeda), longleaf
pine (P. palustris), and slash pine (P. elliottii)
(6).
Water oak is classified as a bottom-land forest cover type Willow
Oak-Water Oak-Diarnondleaf Oak (Society of American Foresters
Type 88) (6). It is also an associated species in Live
Oak (Type 89) and Sweetbay-Swamp Tupelo-Redbay (Type 104).
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Climate
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Water oak grows well along small streams or moist upland soils
with 1270 to 1520 mm (50 to 60 in) annual rainfall during the
frost-free period. Annual snowfall over the range varies from 0
to 50 cm (0 to 20 in) with 200 to 260 frost-free days. Summers of
the southern-central range are warm and dry. July high
temperatures vary from 21° to 46° C (70° to 115°
F) and January low temperatures from 2° to -29° C (35°
to -20° F) (7).
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Damaging Agents
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Natural enemies of water oak are
primarily insects and microorganisms (2,7,8). Insects include
trunk borers (Enaphalodes sp. and Prionoxystus sp.)
and leaf hoppers (Erythroneura sp.). The more noticeable
diseases include cone rusts (Cronartium spp.), root rot
(Ganoderma curtisii), and trunk canker and heart rot
caused by a variety of organisms. Additionally, water oak is
susceptible to parasitism by mistletoe (Phoradendron
flavescens). Herbicides such as 2,4,5-T and picloram
compounds are toxic to water oak. It is also highly susceptible
to air pollution, probably to sulfur dioxide in particular.
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Flowering and Fruiting
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Water oak is monoecious; staminate
flowers are in hanging catkins and pistillate flowers are in
few-flowered, short-stalked clusters on the same tree. They
develop shortly before or at the same time as the new leaves.
Staminate flowers are produced near the tip of the previous
year's growth, while pistillate flowers are produced in the
junction of the current year's growth (5). The fruit, an acorn,
matures about September of the second year. The embryo has no
endosperm but two large, fleshy cotyledons (4).
Flowers are easily killed by late frosts after leaf buds open. The
trees then defoliate and develop new leaves but do not generate a
second crop of flowers.
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Genetics
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There are no reported racial variations of water oak. It
hybridizes with other oak species as follows (3): Quercus
falcata (Q. x garlandensis Palmer), Q. incana (Q. x
caduca Trel.), Q. laevis (Q. x walteriana Ashe), Q.
marilandica (Q. x sterilis Trel.), Q. phellos Q x capesii
W Wolf), Q. shumardii (Q. x neopalmeri Sudw.), and
Q. velutina (Q. x demarei Ashe).
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Growth and Yield
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Water oak can grow to 38 m (125 ft) on a
site index range of 18.3 to 33.5 m (60 to 110 ft) at base age 50
years (1). It prunes itself slowly, developing a straight,
slender main trunk. Growing quickly on favorable sites, it can
produce 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in) of d.b.h. growth in 10 years. It
can grow 7.8 cm (3.1 in) in d.b.h. in 10 years while in the 36 to
46 cm (14 to 18 in) diameter class; and 7.4 cm (2.9 in) in the 51
to 71 cm (20 to 28 in) class (7). Water oak has a shallow,
spreading rooting habit.
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Reaction to Competition
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Water oak does not compete well
with other species because of its slow early growth and its
intolerance to shade and competition. It is a subclimax tree.
Water oak germinates under shade, but seedlings require moderate
light for development. Epicormic branching is common for water
oak in suppressed to intermediate crown position. Stumps will
sprout, but vegetative propagation is not economically practical
as a management procedure (7).
Water oak is easily injured by fire and even a light burn kills
stems of seedlings. Survivors are extremely susceptible to butt
rot.
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Rooting Habit
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No information available.
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Seed Production and Dissemination
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Trees bear seed at
about age 20 and production seems to alternate between prolific
and lean years. Mature trees yield 9 to 53 liters (0.25 to 1.5
bu) of acorns in a good year, with about 64.4 kg/ha (50 lb/bu).
The average for cleaned seeds is 880/kg (400/lb) (4). Generally,
viable acorns sink in water, while those that float probably will
not germinate. Water oak acorns are naturally disseminated by
animals and water.
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Seedling Development
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Under controlled conditions, water
oak acorns require a pregermination treatment to overcome
dormancy. Under natural conditions, they germinate the spring
following maturation. They may be induced to germinate by
stratification for 30 to 40 days in moist sand at 30° to 32°
C (86° to 90° F) during light cycles and for a 52- to
73-day period at 20° to 21° C (68° to 70° F)
during dark cycles. Expect 60 to 94 percent germination after 31
to 73 days. Germination is hypogeal (4).
Seedlings require abundant moisture the entire growing season but
do not tolerate prolonged submersion. Under optimum conditions
water oak grows at a rate of 60 cm (24 in) per year for the first
25 years (7).
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Soils and Topography
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Water oak appears on a wide variety of sites ranging from wet
bottom lands to well-drained uplands. Best development and
highest quality are found on the better-drained silty clay or
loamy soils on high flats or ridges of alluvial stream bottoms.
Water oaks are commonly found on soils of the order Inceptisols
(9). On low flats with poorly drained clay soils, tree form and
quality are poor. Water oak can survive on moist upland sites.
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Special Uses
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Water oak is particularly suited for timber, fuel, wildlife
habitat, and environmental forestry (4). It has been widely
planted in southern communities as a shade tree. Its veneer has
been successfully used as plywood for fruit and vegetable
containers (8).
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Brief Summary
provided by Silvics of North America
Fagaceae -- Beech family
J. A. Vozzo
Water oak (Quercus nigra), sometimes called possum oak or
spotted oak, is commonly found along southeastern watercourses
and lowlands on silty clay and loamy soils. This medium-sized
rapid-growing tree is often abundant as second growth on cutover
lands. It is also planted widely as a street and shade tree in
southern communities.
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Distribution
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Water oak is found along the Coastal Plain from southern New
Jersey and Delaware south to southern Florida; west to eastern
Texas; and north in the Mississippi Valley to southeastern
Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and southwestern Tennessee (3).
-The native range of water oak.
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Quercus nigra
provided by wikipedia EN
Quercus nigra, the water oak, is an oak in the red oak group (Quercus sect. Lobatae), native to the eastern and south-central United States, found in all the coastal states from New Jersey to Texas, and inland as far as Oklahoma, Kentucky, and southern Missouri.[3] It occurs in lowlands and up to 450 meters (1,480 feet) in elevation.
Other names include spotted oak, duck oak, punk oak, orange oak, and possum oak.
Description
Quercus nigra is a medium-sized deciduous tree, growing to 30 meters (98 feet) tall with a trunk up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in diameter. Young trees have a smooth, brown bark that becomes gray-black with rough scaly ridges as the tree matures. The leaves are alternate, simple and tardily deciduous, remaining on the tree until mid-winter; they are 3–12 centimeters (1+1⁄4–4+3⁄4 inches) long and 2–6 cm (3⁄4–2+1⁄4 in) broad, variable in shape, most commonly shaped like a spatula being broad and rounded at the top and narrow and wedged at the base. The margins vary, usually being smooth to shallowly lobed, with a bristle at the apex and lobe tips. The tree is easy to identify by the leaves, which have a lobe that looks as if a drop of water is hanging from the end of the leaf. The top of each leaf is a dull green to bluish green and the bottom is a paler bluish-green. On the bottom portion of the leaves, rusty colored hairs run along the veins. The acorns are arranged singly or in pairs, 10–14 millimeters (3⁄8–1⁄2 in) long and broad, with a shallow cupule; they mature about 18 months after pollination in autumn of the second year.[4]
Ecology
Water oak serves the same ecological role as weeping willow and other wetland trees. It is adapted to wet, swampy areas, such as along ponds and stream banks, but can also tolerate well-drained sites and even heavy, compacted soils. It grows in sandy soils, red clays, and old fields to the borders of swamps, streams, to bottomlands. Due to its ability to grow and reproduce quickly, the water oak is often the most abundant species in a stand of trees. The tree is relatively short-lived compared to other oaks and may live only 60 to 80 years. It does not compete well and does not tolerate even light shade. Water oak is frequently used to restore bottomland hardwood forests on land that was previously cleared for agriculture or pine plantations. Minimum age for flowering and fruiting is 20 years and the tree produces heavy crops of acorns nearly every year. Water oak is not recommended as an ornamental due to being short-lived, disease-prone, and extremely messy.
Hybrids of water oak are known with southern red oak (Quercus falcata), bluejack oak (Quercus incana), turkey oak (Quercus laevis), blackjack oak (Quercus marilandica), willow oak (Quercus phellos), Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii), and black oak (Quercus velutina).
Water oak acorns are an important food for white-tailed deer, eastern gray squirrel, raccoon, wild turkey, mallard, wood duck, and bobwhite quail. In winter, deer will browse the buds and young twigs.
Uses
Water oak has been used for timber and for fuel by people in the southern states since the 17th century. The wood is generally sold as "red oak", mixed with the wood from other red oaks.
References
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Quercus nigra: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Quercus nigra, the water oak, is an oak in the red oak group (Quercus sect. Lobatae), native to the eastern and south-central United States, found in all the coastal states from New Jersey to Texas, and inland as far as Oklahoma, Kentucky, and southern Missouri. It occurs in lowlands and up to 450 meters (1,480 feet) in elevation.
Other names include spotted oak, duck oak, punk oak, orange oak, and possum oak.
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