American turkey oak, Catesby oak, Scrub oak
Quercus laevis
Family: Fagaceae
What it is like
A small tree. It grows 6-12 m high. The trunk is 30 cm across. They bark is grey to black and becomes thick and very rough. It becomes furrowed into ridges. It has an irregular open crown. The branches are crooked. The leaves are 10-20 cm long and 7.5-15 cm wide. They are almost triangle shaped. They have a pointed base and 3-5 long narrow lobes. These have 1-3 bristle tipped teeth at the end. The leaves are thick and stiff. They are shiny yellow-green above and paler underneath. There are tufts of rust coloured hairs in the angles of the veins. The leaves turn red in autumn. The acorns are 2-2.5 cm long and egg-shaped. They are in hairy cups.
There are about 600 Quercus species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows on dry sandy ridges and dunes. It is usually near the coast. It SE of the USA it grows up to 150 m altitude.
Countries/locations it is found in
North America, USA
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Seeds, nut
How it is grown
It can spread by underground runners.