Synonym(s): Quercus microcarya, Quercus nigra var. heterophylla
Image ID: 16607
Image by: Sorrie, Bruce A.
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library
PLANT INDEX
ID_PLANT: QUNI
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Quercus nigra
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2019-02-28
GENUS INDEX
GENUS CODE: QUERC GENUS SCIENTIFIC:Quercus GENUS AUTHORITY: L. GENUS COMMON: Oak GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 350-530 species, trees and shrubs, of temperate, subtropical, and rarely tropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Oaks are the predominant tree of our area, with a variety of species dominating much of the landscape in nearly every ecological situation. Only in a few specialized (and usually in some sense edaphically extreme) communities are oaks generally entirely absent: deepest Coastal Plain swamps, some Coastal Plain depression ponds, wettest pine savannas, pocosins, spruce-fir forests, highest elevation northern hardwood forests, and mountain bogs. GENUS IDENTIFICATION: Identification notes: Many oak species are well-adapted to ecological situations in which fires frequently burn the ground layer. Fire-maintained communities of the Piedmont and Mountains typically have oaks such as Q. stellata, Q. marilandica var. marilandica, Q. ilicifolia, and Q. prinoides. The two latter species are normally shrubby, and have become rarer because of fire suppression (they require fire to prevent larger trees from outcompeting them). In contrast, Q. stellata and Q. marilandica var. marilandica become larger and more frequent in fire-suppressed conditions. GENUS REFERENCES: Nixon in FNA (1997) (overall treatment); Jensen in FNA (1997) (red oaks); Nixon & Muller in FNA (1997) (white oaks); Godfrey (1988); Stein, Binion, & Acciavatti (2003); Cronquist (1991); Duncan & Duncan (1988); Hunt (1990)=Z; Hunt (1994); Kubitzki in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993).
FAMILY INDEX
FAMILY CODE: FAGACE FAMILY SCIENTIFIC:Fagaceae FAMILY AUTHORITY: Dumortier 1829 FAMILY COMMON: Beech Family FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 8 genera and 620-1050 species, trees and shrubs, mostly of the Northern Hemisphere, but extending into se. Asia and Australia. FAMILY REFERENCE: Nixon in FNA (1997); Govaerts & Frodin (1998); Kubitzki in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993); Elias (1971a).
NCBG DESCRIPTIVES
INTRO: STEMS: LEAVES: INFLORESCENCE: FLOWERS: FRUITS: COMMENTS: HEIGHT: 50-80 ft. DURATION:
Perennial
HABIT:
Tree
LEAF ARRANGEMENT:
Alternate LEAF COMPLEXITY:
Simple LEAF RETENTION:
Deciduous FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY:
BLOOM TIME: April
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
x
x
x
BLOOM COLOR:
White
Red
Pink
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Lavender
Purple
Violet
Brown
Not Applicable
x
FRUITING PERIOD: Sep-Nov (of the second year). DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE:
NATIVE RANGE: southeastern United States HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: As its name indicates, water oak is adapted to wet, swampy areas; however, it will tolerate a wide range of growing conditions, including well-drained sites or heavily compacted soils. It has a broad, rounded open canopy with bluish-green, spatula-shaped leaves. It is a medium-sized oak tree that is often used as a street tree or shade tree in urban areas. Water oak produces an abundant amount of small (~1/2" long) acorns, which are eaten by many species of wildlife. The genus Quercus supports up to 518 lepidoptera species.
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast
WEAKLEY FLORA
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Quercus nigra
COMMON NAME: Water Oak, Paddle Oak
SYNONYMY: [= C, FNA, G, GW, K, Mo, RAB, S, Va, W, WH3, Z; > Q. nigra var. nigra - F; > Q. nigra var. heterophylla (Aiton) W.W. Ashe - F: = Q. aquatica Walter]
PHENOLOGY: Apr; Sep-Nov (of the second year).
HABITAT: Bottomland forests, especially on levees or second terraces where flooded infrequently and for short periods, less commonly on mesic slopes.
COMMENTS: Primarily a species of the Southeastern Coastal Plain: s. NJ south to s. FL and west to e. TX and se. OK, north in the interior to se. TN, c. TN, w. and sc. KY (Clark et al. 2005), se. MO, and e. OK. Seedlings and fire sprouts of this species are highly variable; see discussion at end of generic treatment.
RANGE MAP: Quercus nigra.png
Key to Map SymbolsABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora) Fagaceae Dumortier 1829 (Beech Family) SUMMARY: A family of about 8 genera and 620-1050 species, trees and shrubs, mostly of the Northern Hemisphere, but extending into se. Asia and Australia. REFERENCE: Nixon in FNA (1997); Govaerts & Frodin (1998); Kubitzki in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993); Elias (1971a).ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora) Quercus L. (Oak) SUMMARY: A genus of about 350-530 species, trees and shrubs, of temperate, subtropical, and rarely tropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Oaks are the predominant tree of our area, with a variety of species dominating much of the landscape in nearly every ecological situation. Only in a few specialized (and usually in some sense edaphically extreme) communities are oaks generally entirely absent: deepest Coastal Plain swamps, some Coastal Plain depression ponds, wettest pine savannas, pocosins, spruce-fir forests, highest elevation northern hardwood forests, and mountain bogs. REFERENCE: Nixon in FNA (1997) (overall treatment); Jensen in FNA (1997) (red oaks); Nixon & Muller in FNA (1997) (white oaks); Godfrey (1988); Stein, Binion, & Acciavatti (2003); Cronquist (1991); Duncan & Duncan (1988); Hunt (1990)=Z; Hunt (1994); Kubitzki in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993).
HERBARIUM RESOURCES
SERNEC: Find Quercus nigra in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available) UNC SERNEC: Find Quercus nigra in
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)