Water Oak
Quercus nigra
- Native to:
- United States
François André Michaux (book author), Pierre-Joseph Redouté (illustrator), Dubreuil (engraver)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Genus:
- Quercus
- Species:
- Quercus nigra
- USDA Symbol:
- QUNI
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- 2500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★★★☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Automeris zephyria, Buck Moth (Hemileuca maia), Caloptilia quercinigrella, Cecropis moth (Automeris cecrops), consular oakworm moth (Anisota consularis), contracted datana (Datana contracta), Dasychira tephra, Eriocraniella mediabulla, Morrisonia mucens, Neurobathra strigifinitella, Oak besma (Besma quercivoraria), oak blotch miner moth (Tischeria quercitella), Phyllonorycter aeriferella, Phyllonorycter albanotella, Phyllonorycter quercialbella, Pink-striped oakworm moth (Anisota virginiensis), Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus), Pseudotelphusa quercinigracella, Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda), Scalloped sack-bearer (Lacosoma chiridota), spotted oakworm moth (Anisota stigma), Tischeria citrinipennella, Ulolonche culea, Yellownecked caterpillar (Datana integerrima), Yellowstriped oakworm moth (Anisota peigleri), Fixsenia favonius, Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis horatius), Juvenal's Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) Moths:Anisota pellucida, Cecrita guttivitta, Eriocraniella mediabulla, Forest Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria), Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus), Red-lined Panopoda (Panopoda rufimargo), Scalloped sack-bearer (Lacosoma chiridota), Variable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth (Lochmaeus manteo), White-dotted Prominent (Nadata gibbosa)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, squirrels, deer, turkey, waterfowl
- Fall Color:
- yellow, brown
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from root crown after fire. Thin bark makes young trees susceptible, but mature trees can survive low-intensity burns.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, well-drained sandy loam
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in floodplains and wetland areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–45 days
- Notes:
- Fresh acorns germinate best; they lose viability quickly if allowed to dry out. Fall sowing often successful without artificial stratification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are placed in cold moist stratification for 28 to 49 days
Source: npn.rngr.net