Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fagaceae

Genus:

Quercus

Species:

Quercus polymorpha

USDA Symbol:

QUPO2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

1500 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun,Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, squirrels, deer, small mammals

Fall Color:

yellow, brown

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from the root crown after fire. Thick bark on mature trees provides fire resistance.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, rocky or sandy loam

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to limestone-rich areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Acorns have low dormancy and germinate readily after brief cold stratification. Plant fresh acorns in fall for best results.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI