Description

Leaves: Alternate; simple; 3" to 7" long, 1" to 2" wide; deciduous; glabrous and glossy; serrate margin with long bristles at the ends of teeth; fall color a nice yellow to golden-brown; looks similar to chestnut leaf.

Twigs/buds: Twigs gray-brown and hairless.  Buds gray-brown, hairy; 1/4" to 3/8" in length; scales overlapping with gray pubescence, two-toned.

Flowers/fruit: Monoecious.  Fruit an acorn; 1" long, brown, round, no stalk; 2/3 of nut covered with thick cap covered with long, curved scales.

Bark: Ash brown; has deep ridges and furrows and corky appearance when older.

Wood: Information unavailable.

General: Native to eastern Asia and Japan.  Prefers acid, well-drained soils, but tolerates other conditions. Intermediate shade tolerance.

Landscape Use: Great large tree with wide adaptability, but be careful on very high pH soils. However, I have seen this tree grow an inch or more a year in trunk diameter over a several year period in the Midwest on fairly high pH soils (pH above 7.2).  I also have seen it growing as a parking lot tree mostly surrounded by pavement.  Has a somewhat conical canopy shape when young. Zones 5(4?)-9.

Cultivars: 'Gobbler', var. chenii.
 

Characteristics