Quercus x bebbiana
Family: Fagaceae
What it is like
Quercus x bebbiana is a deciduous Tree growing to 15 m (49ft) by 8 m (26ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen in October. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.
Height (m): 15
Where it is found
Not known in the wild.
A hybrid of garden origin.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Seed - raw or cooked. The large seeds are sweet and can be eaten out of hand. The seed can be ground into a powder and used in making bread, dumplings etc and as a thickener in soups. 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.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Coffee: the various substitutes that can be used instead of coffee.
Medicine
Rating: 2
Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc.
Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
Dysentery: Used in treating dysentery - an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.
Other
Rating: 3
A mulch of the leaves repels slugs, grubs etc, though fresh leaves should not be used as these can inhibit plant growth. 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. Wood - hard, heavy, strong, tough, very durable, close grained.
Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.
Tannin: An astringent substance obtaied from plants, it is used medicinally, as a dye and mordant, stabilizer in pesticide etc.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
How it is grown
Prefers a good deep fertile loam which can be on the stiff side. Lime tolerant. Succeeds in a hot dry position. Young plants tolerate reasonable levels of side shade. Tolerates moderate exposure, surviving well but being somewhat stunted. A vigorous, fast-growing hybrid species, some forms are capable of reaching 1.5 metres tall in 2 years.]. Established plants are drought resistant and tolerant of atmospheric pollution. This species is occasionally cultivated for its edible seed, there are some named varieties. It is a hybrid of garden origin, Q. alba x Q. macrocarpa. 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. The tree flowers on new growth produced in spring, the seed ripening in its first year. Hybridizes freely with other members of the genus. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.
Propagating it: 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. 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.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;
Habit: Tree
Hardiness: 3-7
Growth: Slow
Soil: Medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Dry, moist