• Photo of Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' (Quercus robur 'Fastigiata's)

Plant Profile: Quercus robur 'Fastigiata'

Names

Columnar English Oak, Cypress Oak, Pyramid Oak, Upright English Oak

  • Photo of Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' (Quercus robur 'Fastigiata's)

Phonetic Spelling:KWER-kus ROH-bur fas-tij-ee-AY-tuh

Genus:Quercus

Species:robur

Family:Fagaceae

The 'Fastigiata,' commonly known as the Upright English Oak, is a deciduous tree characterized by its tall, column-like form. As it matures, it develops a dense, elongated oval shape with a relatively short trunk, making it an eye-catching addition to any landscape. In humid regions, this tree can be prone to powdery mildew; however, planting it in full sunlight with sufficient airflow can help mitigate this issue. The 'Attention' cultivar offers improved resistance while maintaining a similar columnar growth habit.

For optimal growth, this tree should be planted in full sun within well-drained soil that is either acidic or slightly alkaline. It demonstrates resilience against salt, drought, and urban environments. The Upright English Oak can be utilized as a hedge or as a standout specimen in smaller spaces where extensive branching may pose a problem. While it can be propagated from seed, it is important to note that it may not always produce true-to-type offspring.

For further details on Quercus robur, additional resources are available.

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Feature Summary

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Image Gallery

Tags

#full sun tolerant
#small spaces
#wildlife plant
#moths
#street tree
#hedges
#columnar
#small mammals
#privacy
#salt spray tolerant
#deer resistant
#acorns
#oak tree
#urban conditions tolerant
#bird friendly
#butterfly friendly
#problem for horses
#host plant

Similar Plants

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' is often confused with:

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Feature Summary

Attributes
Mildly resistant to deer damage. Acorns eaten by many birds and mammals.
Acorns are edible once the tannins have been leached or boiled out
Perennial
Woody
Fruit
1-3 in. brown oval acorn
Brown/Copper
1-3 inches
Flowers
Male and female flowers are on the same tree. Male pollen flowers in long catkins.
Gold/Yellow
Brown/Copper
Insignificant
Catkin
Leaves
Short-stalked, dark green leaves are 4-8 inches long and 2-4 inches wide. Margins have 3–7 blunt lobes per side and are blue-green beneath. Leaves persist into winter. Fall color is copper.
Green
Blue
Oblong
Obovate
> 6 inches
Showy
Long-lasting
3-6 inches
Bark
The dark brown bark is deeply ridged and furrowed on mature trees
Dark Brown
Stem
Current years twigs are reddish-brown
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
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Winter Garden
Cottage Garden
English Garden
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Small groups
Specimen
Street Tree
Drought
Deer
Pollution
Salt
Patio
Walkways
Lawn
Small Space
Butterflies
Songbirds
Moths
Small Mammals
Problem for Horses

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Attributes

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Country Or Region Of Origin

Europe

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Wildlife Value

Mildly resistant to deer damage. Acorns eaten by many birds and mammals.

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Edibility

Acorns are edible once the tannins have been leached or boiled out

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Fruit

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Fruit Description

1-3 in. brown oval acorn

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Fruit Color

grass
Brown/Copper

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Flowers

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Flower Description

Male and female flowers are on the same tree. Male pollen flowers in long catkins.

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Flower Color

filter_vintage
Brown/Copper
filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Leaves

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Leaf Description

Short-stalked, dark green leaves are 4-8 inches long and 2-4 inches wide. Margins have 3–7 blunt lobes per side and are blue-green beneath. Leaves persist into winter. Fall color is copper.

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Leaf Color

spa
Blue
spa
Green

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Brown/Copper

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': 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 robur 'Fastigiata': Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Bark

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Bark Description

The dark brown bark is deeply ridged and furrowed on mature trees

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Bark Color

grass
Dark Brown

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Surface/Attachment

Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Stem

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Stem Description

Current years twigs are reddish-brown

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Poisonous to Humans

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Poison Symptoms

Stomach pain, constipation and later bloody diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination if young leaves or raw acorns eaten.

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Poison Toxic Principle

Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin.

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Whole Plant Traits

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': 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 robur 'Fastigiata': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': 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 robur 'Fastigiata': Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Cultural Conditions

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': 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 robur 'Fastigiata': Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': 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 robur 'Fastigiata': NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' Landscape

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': 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 robur 'Fastigiata': 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 robur 'Fastigiata': 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 robur 'Fastigiata': 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 robur 'Fastigiata': Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata': 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