Primary Uses:
- Nut – the “acorn” is typically dried and ground as “meal” or “flour”. Only a few species or improved hybrids have seeds that can be eaten raw (Quercus ilex)
- Oil – only a few species have seeds that can be pressed to expel edible oil (Quercus ilex)
- Young Leaves – cooked. Only a few oaks (Quercus acutissima) have edible leaves.
- Coffee – The seed can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute.
Secondary Uses:
- General insect nectar and pollen plant
- Wildlife food
- Wildlife shelter
- Windbreak
- Most species can be coppiced – every 7-30 years depending on the size wood desired.
- Wood is highly prized for finish carpentry, furniture, tools, barrels, crafts, baskets, as well as posts, fencing, stakes, wedges, roof shingles, firewood, and charcoal.
- Wood and acorn shells can be used for tanning.
- Wood can be used for mushrooms (shiitake!)
Yield: highly variable on species and size of the tree. For example, Q. acutissima can produce up to 125 lbs (56 kg) of acorns per year.
Harvesting: Autumn (October-November). Acorns are harvested after they have fallen from the tree.
Storage: Can be used right away, but can be stored for months if kept dry.
DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT
USDA Hardiness Zone:
- Sawtooth/Sawthorn Oak (Quercus acutissima) – Zone 5
- Encina or California Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) – Zone 8
- White Oak (Quercus alba) – Zone 4
- Boz-Pimal Oak (Quercus aucheri) – Zone 8
- Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) – Zone 4
- Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris) – Zone 7-9
- Kermes Oak (Quercus coccifera) – Zone 6
- Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea) – Zone 4
- Blue Oak (Quercus douglasii) – Zone 7
- Black Oak (Quercus emoryi) – Zone 7
- Hungarian Oak (Quercus frainetto) – Zone 6
- Gambel or Shin Oak (Quercus gambelii) – Zone 4
- Glaucous-Leaf Oak or Japanese Blue Oak (Quercus glauca) – Zone 7
- Holly Oak (Quercus ilex) – Zone 7
- Holm Oak (Quercus ilex ballota) – Zone 7
- Valonia Oak (Quercus ithaburensis macrolepis) -Zone 7
- Californian Black Oak (Quercus kelloggii) – Zone 7-9
- Bull Oak (Quercus lamellose) – Zone 8
- Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata) – Zone 5
- Burr Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) – Zone 2-8
- Chinkapin Oak (Quercus meuhlenbergii) – Zone 4
- Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus michauxii) – Zone 6
- Mexican Blue Oak (Quercus oblongifolia) – Zone 7
- Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) – Zone 5-8
- Dwarf Chinkapin Oak (Quercus prinoides) – Zone 5
- Chestnut Oak (Quercus prinus) – Zone 5
- English or Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur) – Zone 4
- Red Oak (Quercus rubra) – Zone 3
- Post Oak (Quercus stellata) – Zone 5
- Cork Oak (Quercus suber) – Zone 7
- Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) – Zone 7
- Sierra Live Oak (Quercus wislizeni) – Zone 8
- Sawtooth/Sawthorn Oak (Quercus acutissima) – Zone 8-3
- Encina or California Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) – Zone 12-9
- White Oak (Quercus alba) – Zone 8-1
- Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) – Zone 8-1
- Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris) – Zone 8-1
- Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea) – 9-4
- Blue Oak (Quercus douglasii) – Zone 9-1
- Glaucous-Leaf Oak or Japanese Blue Oak (Quercus glauca) – Zone 9-4
- Holly Oak (Quercus ilex) – Zone 9-2
- Californian Black Oak (Quercus kelloggii) – Zone 9-5
- Bull Oak (Quercus lamellose) – Zone 8
- Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata) – Zone 8-4
- Burr Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) – Zone 9-1
- Chinkapin Oak (Quercus meuhlenbergii) – Zone 8-2
- Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus michauxii) – Zone 9-3
- Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) – Zone 7-3
- Dwarf Chinkapin Oak (Quercus prinoides) – Zone 8-1
- Chestnut Oak (Quercus prinus) – Zone 8-1
- English or Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur) – Zone 8-3
- Red Oak (Quercus rubra) – Zone 9-5
- Post Oak (Quercus stellata) – Zone 9-4
- Cork Oak (Quercus suber) – Zone 12-3
- Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) – Zone 11-6
- Sierra Live Oak (Quercus wislizeni) – 10-6
Chill Requirement: likely, but no reliable information can be found
Plant Type: Medium to large-sized Shrubs; medium to large-sized Trees
Leaf Type: Evergreen or Deciduous depending on the species
Forest Garden Use: Canopy Layer, Sub-Canopy (Understory) Layer, Shrub Layer
Cultivars/Varieties: Many species, hybrids, and varieties available.
Pollination: Oaks require cross-pollination. This can come from just about any other species of oak. Pollinated by the wind.
Flowering: late Spring to mid-Summer
Life Span:
Years to Begin Bearing: 5-35 years depending on the species
Years Between Major Cropping: 1-10 years depending on the species.
Years of Useful Life: 200 years is considered young for most species. Oaks can live to 400 years if not cut down. There is an oak over 2,000 years old in California.
