Quercus petraea: Uses (Ethnobotany)
Lumber is used for various building items
Plant Profile: Quercus petraea
Taxonomy: Quercus petraeaNames
Cornish Oak, Durmast Oak, Irish Oak, Oaks, Sessile Oak
Phonetic Spelling:KWER-kus pet-RAY-uh
Genus:Quercus
Species:petraea
Family:Fagaceae
The sessile oak (Quercus petraea) is a substantial, long-lived deciduous tree that is indigenous to much of Europe and holds the title of Ireland's national tree. This species thrives in moist, fertile, and well-drained soils, yet it demonstrates remarkable adaptability, flourishing even in poorer, drier conditions and clayey environments. While it favors acidic soil, it can also tolerate neutral and alkaline types. The acorns of the sessile oak are unique in that they lack stalks (sessile) and grow in clusters directly from the stem. Characterized by a broad, rounded crown, this tree is also resistant to mildew.
In this country, however, locating sessile oak can prove to be quite challenging.
Quercus petraea Feature Summary
Tags
#deciduous
#shade tree
#full sun tolerant
#wildlife plant
#moths
#wind tolerant
#deer resistant
#nighttime garden
#oak
#poison nut
#poor soils tolerant
#larval host plant
#clay soils tolerant
#butterfly friendly
#moth larvae
#partial shade tolerant
#pollinator garden
#problem for horses
#banded hairstreak butterfly
#gray hairstreak butterfly
#imperial moth
#juvenal’s duskywing butterfly
#edward’s hairstreak butterfly
#white-m hairstreak butterfly
#horace’s duskywing butterfly
Similar Plants
Quercus petraea is often confused with:
Quercus petraea Feature Summary
Attributes
Lumber is used for various building items
Europe to Northern Iran
Many birds and mammals eat the acorns. Oak trees support a wide variety of Lepidopteran. You may see Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May. Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), has one flight from May-July in the south and June-July in the north. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), has three to four flights in the south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) has three broods in the north from February-October. Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) has three broods in Texas and the deep south from January-November, and two broods in the north from April-September. Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) has one brood from April-June, appearing as early as January in Florida.
Mildly resistant to deer damage.
Acorns (nuts) are edible after tannins are leached or boiled out.
Perennial
Woody
Wildlife Food Source
Fruit
1.2-inch oval acorns are stalkless and in clusters with a cap covering about 1/3 of the nut. They mature the first year.
Nut
Brown/Copper
1-3 inches
< 1 inch
Flowers
The flowers form greenish-yellow drooping catkins. Flowering and leafing sprout together..
Gold/Yellow
Insignificant
Catkin
Spring
Leaves
3-5 inch leaves are glossy green above and pale and smooth to pubescent underneath with 4-6 pairs of rounded lobes.
Deciduous
Green
Gold/Yellow
Simple
Alternate
Obovate
Lobed
Undulate
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
Bark
The bark is smooth and gray, later deeply fissured.
Dark Gray
Stem
Twigs grey-brown, shiny, hairless, angled, with small tawny lenticels
Brown/Copper
Gray/Silver
Smooth (glabrous)
Not Conspicuous
Poisonous to Humans
Stomach pain, constipation and later bloody diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination if young leaves or raw acorns eaten.
Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin.
Leaves
Fruits
Whole Plant Traits
Tree
Poisonous
Deciduous
Rounded
Medium
Medium
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
more than 60 feet
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Nighttime Garden
Shade Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Deer
Wet Soil
Wind
Poor Soil
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Pollinators
Moths
Problem for Horses
Quercus petraea Image Gallery
Quercus petraea Attributes
Quercus petraea: Country Or Region Of Origin
Europe to Northern Iran
Quercus petraea: Wildlife Value
Many birds and mammals eat the acorns. Oak trees support a wide variety of Lepidopteran. You may see Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May. Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), has one flight from May-July in the south and June-July in the north. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), has three to four flights in the south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) has three broods in the north from February-October. Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) has three broods in Texas and the deep south from January-November, and two broods in the north from April-September. Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) has one brood from April-June, appearing as early as January in Florida.
Quercus petraea: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
Mildly resistant to deer damage.
Quercus petraea: Edibility
Acorns (nuts) are edible after tannins are leached or boiled out.
Quercus petraea: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Quercus petraea: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Quercus petraea: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Quercus petraea Fruit
Quercus petraea: Fruit Description
1.2-inch oval acorns are stalkless and in clusters with a cap covering about 1/3 of the nut. They mature the first year.
Quercus petraea: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Quercus petraea: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Quercus petraea: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Quercus petraea: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Quercus petraea: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Quercus petraea Flowers
Quercus petraea: Flower Description
The flowers form greenish-yellow drooping catkins. Flowering and leafing sprout together..
Quercus petraea: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Quercus petraea: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Quercus petraea: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Quercus petraea Leaves
Quercus petraea: Leaf Description
3-5 inch leaves are glossy green above and pale and smooth to pubescent underneath with 4-6 pairs of rounded lobes.
Quercus petraea: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Quercus petraea: Leaf Color
Green
Quercus petraea: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Gold/Yellow
Quercus petraea: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Quercus petraea: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Quercus petraea: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Quercus petraea: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Quercus petraea: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Quercus petraea: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Quercus petraea: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Quercus petraea Bark
Quercus petraea: Bark Description
The bark is smooth and gray, later deeply fissured.
Quercus petraea: Bark Color
Dark Gray
Quercus petraea Stem
Quercus petraea: Stem Description
Twigs grey-brown, shiny, hairless, angled, with small tawny lenticels
Quercus petraea: Stem Color
Brown/Copper
Gray/Silver
Quercus petraea: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Quercus petraea: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Quercus petraea: Stem Lenticels
Conspicuous
Not Conspicuous
Quercus petraea Poisonous to Humans
Quercus petraea: Poison Symptoms
Stomach pain, constipation and later bloody diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination if young leaves or raw acorns eaten.
Quercus petraea: Poison Toxic Principle
Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin.
Quercus petraea: Poison Severity
High
Low
Medium
Quercus petraea: Causes Contact Dermatitis
No
Yes
Quercus petraea: Poison Part
Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems
Quercus petraea Whole Plant Traits
Quercus petraea: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Quercus petraea: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Quercus petraea: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Quercus petraea: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Quercus petraea: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Quercus petraea: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Quercus petraea Cultural Conditions
Quercus petraea: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Quercus petraea: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Quercus petraea: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Quercus petraea: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Quercus petraea: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Quercus petraea: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
Quercus petraea: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Quercus petraea Landscape
Quercus petraea: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Quercus petraea: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Quercus petraea: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Quercus petraea: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Quercus petraea: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
Quercus petraea: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
