Nuttall Oak
Quercus texana
- Native to:
- United States
Internet Archive Book Images (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Genus:
- Quercus
- Species:
- Quercus texana
- USDA Symbol:
- QUTE
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 1067 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- 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
Buck Moth (Hemileuca maia), Gloveria sphingiformis, Grote's buck moth (Hemileuca grotei), Pink-striped oakworm moth (Anisota virginiensis), Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, squirrels, deer, small mammals
- Fall Color:
- red, orange, scarlet
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from root crown after fire. Thick bark on mature trees provides fire resistance.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Prefers floodplain and bottomland areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Acorns should be planted fresh in fall or stratified over winter. Low viability if allowed to dry out.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Stratification in moist, well-drained sand, sand and peat, or like material for 30 to 90 days at 32-41°F
Source: npn.rngr.net