Quercus ilicifolia
Scrub Oak
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.Scrub Oak, or Bear Oak, is a small, shrub-like, deciduous tree in the red oak group. It is monoecious; separate male and female catkins appear on...
Description:
Scrub Oak, or Bear Oak, is a small, shrub-like, deciduous tree in the red oak group. It is monoecious; separate male and female catkins appear on the same tree. Its smooth leaves have 3-7 bristle-tipped lobes. Fall foliage is reddish-purple. Biennial acorns are bitter and reportedly only eaten by bears. It provides nesting space, cover, and shelter for wildlife. Oaks are host to numerous insects, which in turn provide food for birds. Scrub Oak is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo) and Eastern Buckmoth (Hemileuca maia). Use it as a street tree or shade tree in your yard, neighborhood park, or natural area.
Plant Details:
Other Common Names: Bear Oak
Plant Type: Tree
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Spring, Late Spring to Early Summer
Bloom Colors: Red, Yellow, Green
Deer Resistance: None
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Birds
Salt Tolerance: Low to None
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: All Regions in NJ
Grows in Special Ecoregions: Barrier Island/Coastal, Pinelands
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Sandy
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil pH: Acidic, Slightly Acidic
Light Needs of Plant
Optimal Light: Full Sun
Light Range: Full Sun
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Dry
Drought Tolerance: High
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 15 - 20 ft
Spread: 10 - 15 ft
Growth Rate: Slow