Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fagaceae

Genus:

Quercus

Species:

Quercus × mellichampii

USDA Symbol:

QUME

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

2500 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

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:

red, orange, brown

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Like parent species, likely resprouts from root crown following fire. Oaks in the southeastern US are generally fire-adapted.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 6.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Prefers native forest conditions with organic matter

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

30–60 days

Notes:

Acorns should be planted fresh in fall or cold stratified; they lose viability quickly if allowed to dry out.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI