Quercus pubescens 52
Author: Carl Ludwig Willdenow (1765-1812)Family: Fagaceae Subfamily: Quercoideae
Genus: Quercus
Synonym(s): Quercus heterophylla,Quercus undulata,Quercus virgiliana
English name: Downy oak
Zone: Mediterranean
Description
This species has a wide range from western France and northern Spain through Central Europe and the Balkans to the Caucasus. Its chief claim to attention is that in south-eastern Europe and parts of southern Central Europe it is the dominant tree in associations that contain so many of the most interesting of European small trees and shrubs. It shows a very wide altitudinal range, especially in the southern countries. Although they are more common on hillsides between 200 and 800m, they grow from coastal plains up to 1200-1300m. Indifferent to pH, they prefer lime-rich and well-drained soils in the northern part of their range, while they may also be common on acidic soils in the warmer countries (e.g. Sicily and Crete). It behaves as a heliophilous and thermophilous species and is perfectly adapted to stand both moderate summer drought stress and low winter temperatures, although avoiding continental locations subject to most frequent frost and/or drought events. As this oak is a very poor resprouter, it may be outcompeted by more resilient tree species under intense and frequent anthropogenic disturbance regimes (e.g. cutting, wildfires, overgrazing, etc.). On the other hand, it may perform rapid colonization through seed dispersal after disturbance removal. Quercus pubescens-dominated forests are quite common in South Europe, while they are confined to warm microclimatic conditions in central Europe. On Mediterranean islands the downy oak often co-occurs with Quercus ilex and Quercus suber (Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily) or even with Quercus coccifera (Crete).
Quercus pubescens Observed in Austria by Felix Kraker (license)
Botanical Description
This is a medium-sized deciduous tree, rarely exceeding 21m in the wild state, with a rather open crown, sometimes a shrub. The bark is more deeply furrowed than in the common oak, the ridges on old trees broken into segments by transverse furrowing. The winter-buds and first-year stems covered with soft, grey hairs.
The leaves are mostly 5 to 9cm long, about half as wide, obovate or narrowly so, obtuse at the apex, cuneate or slightly heart-shaped at the base, with usually four to eight rounded or pointed lobes on either side, upper surface at first covered with grey down, most or all of which falls away by the end of the summer, lower surface permanently and usually very thickly covered with down. The stalk is 0.6 to 1.9cm long.
The fruits are either very shortly stalked or stalkless, solitary or as many as four together, each acorn about half enclosed in the cup, which is covered with very numerous closely appressed downy scales.
The leaves are mostly 5 to 9cm long, about half as wide, obovate or narrowly so, obtuse at the apex, cuneate or slightly heart-shaped at the base, with usually four to eight rounded or pointed lobes on either side, upper surface at first covered with grey down, most or all of which falls away by the end of the summer, lower surface permanently and usually very thickly covered with down. The stalk is 0.6 to 1.9cm long.
The fruits are either very shortly stalked or stalkless, solitary or as many as four together, each acorn about half enclosed in the cup, which is covered with very numerous closely appressed downy scales.
Useful plant
Almost pure Quercus pubescens forests cover 8760 and 8500 km2 in France and Italy, respectively. Notwithstanding the lack of quantitative data, pure and mixed stands are also very common in Balkan countries. Due to its irregular fiber distribution and the crookedness of the trunks, the wood of this species is scarcely considered as industrial lumber, and it is mainly used as firewood. In the past, it was largely employed for railway sleepers, while nowadays it is occasionally used for carpentry, boatbuilding, or packaging. Because of its habit of forming a low, spreading crown, it is widely used as a shade tree and an ornamental. Its acorns are sweet and much sought as food by birds and animals.
References
- Abiotic factors affecting the distribution of oaks in Lebanon, Stephan, Jean and Chayban, Lara and Vessella, Federico. Turkish Journal of Botany 2016 Vol. 40(6) pag. 595-609. DOI
- European Forest Genetic Resources Programme. Quercus pubescens
- Flora iberica, Santiago Castroviejo. 2010 Vol. 2 pag. 27-29. ISBN
- Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, P.H. Davies. 1984 Vol. 7 pag. 672-673. ISBN
- Jean Louis Helardot. Quercus pubescens
- Silvics of North America, Burns, Russell M and Honkala, Barbara H and others. Agriculture Handbook (Washington) 1990 Vol. (654).
- The effectiveness of physiological methods for optimizing work on the arrangement and restoration of oak forests, Zdioruk, Nina and Dascaliuc, Alexandru and Ralea, Tudor and Platovschii, Nicolai. 2021. ResearchGate
- Trees and Shrubs Online, International Dendrology Society. Quercus pubescens
- USDA Forest Service's Silvics of North America: Hardwoods, Russell M Burns Barbara H. Honkala. 1990 Vol. 2. Address
- European Forest Genetic Resources Programme. Quercus pubescens
- Flora iberica, Santiago Castroviejo. 2010 Vol. 2 pag. 27-29. ISBN
- Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, P.H. Davies. 1984 Vol. 7 pag. 672-673. ISBN
- Jean Louis Helardot. Quercus pubescens
- Silvics of North America, Burns, Russell M and Honkala, Barbara H and others. Agriculture Handbook (Washington) 1990 Vol. (654).
- The effectiveness of physiological methods for optimizing work on the arrangement and restoration of oak forests, Zdioruk, Nina and Dascaliuc, Alexandru and Ralea, Tudor and Platovschii, Nicolai. 2021. ResearchGate
- Trees and Shrubs Online, International Dendrology Society. Quercus pubescens
- USDA Forest Service's Silvics of North America: Hardwoods, Russell M Burns Barbara H. Honkala. 1990 Vol. 2. Address
References for the genus
- Proceedings of the symposium on the ecology, management, and utilization of California Oaks, Plumb, Timothy R. 1980. DOI
- Anatomical and taxonomic approaches to subgeneric segregation in american Quercus, Tillson, A. H. and Muller, C. H. American Journal of Botany 1942 Vol. 29(7) pag. 523-529. DOI
- Conservation Gap Analysis of Native U.S. Oaks, Jerome, Diana and Beckman, Emily and Kenny, Lisa and Wenzell, Katherine and Kua, Chai-Shian and Westwood, Murphy. 2017. Address
- eFloras. eFloras.org Vol. 2 pag. 127839. Quercus
- Flora iberica, Santiago Castroviejo. 2010. ISBN
- Flora of North America. Quercus
- Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, P.H. Davies. 1984. ISBN
- Genomic landscape of the global oak phylogeny, Hipp, Andrew L and Manos, Paul S and Hahn, Marlene and Avishai, Michael and Bodßß, Cathérine and Cavender-Bares, Jeannine and Crowl, Andrew A and Deng, Min and Denk, Thomas and Fitz-Gibbon, Sorel and others. New Phytologist 2020 Vol. 226(4) pag. 1198-1212. JStor
- Leaf epidermal features of Quercus subgenus Cyclobalanopsis (Fagaceae) and their systematic significance, Deng, Min and Hipp, Andrew and Song, Yi-Gang and Li, Qiansheng and Coombes, Allen and Cotton, Alexa. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 2014 Vol. 176. DOI
- Notes on the genus Quercus in Mexico, Avalos, Susana Valencia. Address
- Patterns of parallel evolution of leaf form in new world oaks, J. M. Tucker. Taxon 1974 Vol. 23(1) pag. 129-154. DOI
- Quercus purhepecha (Fagaceae), a new species of shrub oak endemic to the state of Michoacán, Mexico, LUNA-BONILLA, OSCAR and González-Rodríguez, Antonio and Rodríguez-Correa, Hernando and Piña Torres, Javier and Coombes, Allen and VALENCIA-A, SUSANA. Phytotaxa 2024 Vol. 670 pag. 191-202. DOI
- Reproductive morphology of Quercus (Fagaceae), Kaul, Robert B. American Journal of Botany 1985 Vol. 72(12) pag. 1962-1977. JStor
- The oaks of western Eurasia: traditional classifications and evidence from two nuclear markers, Denk, Thomas and Grimm, Guido W. Taxon 2010 Vol. 59(2) pag. 351-366. ResearchGate
- The role of diversification in community assembly of the oaks (Quercus L.) across the continental US, Cavender-Bares, Jeannine and Kothari, Shan and Meireles, JosßEduardo and Kaproth, Matthew A and Manos, Paul S and Hipp, Andrew L. American Journal of Botany 2018 Vol. 105(3) pag. 565-586. DOI
- Anatomical and taxonomic approaches to subgeneric segregation in american Quercus, Tillson, A. H. and Muller, C. H. American Journal of Botany 1942 Vol. 29(7) pag. 523-529. DOI
- Conservation Gap Analysis of Native U.S. Oaks, Jerome, Diana and Beckman, Emily and Kenny, Lisa and Wenzell, Katherine and Kua, Chai-Shian and Westwood, Murphy. 2017. Address
- eFloras. eFloras.org Vol. 2 pag. 127839. Quercus
- Flora iberica, Santiago Castroviejo. 2010. ISBN
- Flora of North America. Quercus
- Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, P.H. Davies. 1984. ISBN
- Genomic landscape of the global oak phylogeny, Hipp, Andrew L and Manos, Paul S and Hahn, Marlene and Avishai, Michael and Bodßß, Cathérine and Cavender-Bares, Jeannine and Crowl, Andrew A and Deng, Min and Denk, Thomas and Fitz-Gibbon, Sorel and others. New Phytologist 2020 Vol. 226(4) pag. 1198-1212. JStor
- Leaf epidermal features of Quercus subgenus Cyclobalanopsis (Fagaceae) and their systematic significance, Deng, Min and Hipp, Andrew and Song, Yi-Gang and Li, Qiansheng and Coombes, Allen and Cotton, Alexa. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 2014 Vol. 176. DOI
- Notes on the genus Quercus in Mexico, Avalos, Susana Valencia. Address
- Patterns of parallel evolution of leaf form in new world oaks, J. M. Tucker. Taxon 1974 Vol. 23(1) pag. 129-154. DOI
- Quercus purhepecha (Fagaceae), a new species of shrub oak endemic to the state of Michoacán, Mexico, LUNA-BONILLA, OSCAR and González-Rodríguez, Antonio and Rodríguez-Correa, Hernando and Piña Torres, Javier and Coombes, Allen and VALENCIA-A, SUSANA. Phytotaxa 2024 Vol. 670 pag. 191-202. DOI
- Reproductive morphology of Quercus (Fagaceae), Kaul, Robert B. American Journal of Botany 1985 Vol. 72(12) pag. 1962-1977. JStor
- The oaks of western Eurasia: traditional classifications and evidence from two nuclear markers, Denk, Thomas and Grimm, Guido W. Taxon 2010 Vol. 59(2) pag. 351-366. ResearchGate
- The role of diversification in community assembly of the oaks (Quercus L.) across the continental US, Cavender-Bares, Jeannine and Kothari, Shan and Meireles, JosßEduardo and Kaproth, Matthew A and Manos, Paul S and Hipp, Andrew L. American Journal of Botany 2018 Vol. 105(3) pag. 565-586. DOI
General specifications
Indigenous plant
Biological type: tree
Frost resistance: 5ºF
Leaf color: dark green
Flower color: dark green
IUCN Red List of threatened species status: Least Concern
Indexed Susceptible to the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa The Regional Directorate for Food, Agriculture and Forestry.
Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 82ft x 52,4ft
Sun exposure: part sun (Sun hours: >3h <6h Foliage: marcescent
Growth: slow
Flowering time at May
Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 40%Compost+20%Peet+40%Sand
Plant watering: 3x a week pH 5.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Oaks; 2L forestry pot, 6L container, 55L container, 110L container, 240L container
Propagation is done by cuttings
Units in the garden: 2x
Ecology in its country of origin
Rainfall: 500-800mm
Germination references
- Effects of Pre-sowing Treatments on Seed Germination of Oaks in Kumaun, West Himalaya, Negi, Meenakshi and Rawal, Ranbeer. Notulae Scientia Biologicae 2018 Vol. 10 pag. 282. DOI
- Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography, and, Evolution of Dormancy and Germination, Baskin, Carol and Baskin, J.M. 2014 pag. 1-1586. DOI
- USDA Forest Service's Silvics of North America: Hardwoods, Russell M Burns Barbara H. Honkala. 1990 Vol. 2. Address
Frost resistance: 5ºF
Leaf color: dark green
Flower color: dark green
IUCN Red List of threatened species status: Least Concern
Indexed Susceptible to the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa The Regional Directorate for Food, Agriculture and Forestry.
Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 82ft x 52,4ft
Sun exposure: part sun (Sun hours: >3h <6h Foliage: marcescent
Growth: slow
Flowering time at May
Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 40%Compost+20%Peet+40%Sand
Plant watering: 3x a week pH 5.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Oaks; 2L forestry pot, 6L container, 55L container, 110L container, 240L container
Propagation is done by cuttings
Units in the garden: 2x
Ecology in its country of origin
Rainfall: 500-800mm
Germination references
- Effects of Pre-sowing Treatments on Seed Germination of Oaks in Kumaun, West Himalaya, Negi, Meenakshi and Rawal, Ranbeer. Notulae Scientia Biologicae 2018 Vol. 10 pag. 282. DOI
- Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography, and, Evolution of Dormancy and Germination, Baskin, Carol and Baskin, J.M. 2014 pag. 1-1586. DOI
- USDA Forest Service's Silvics of North America: Hardwoods, Russell M Burns Barbara H. Honkala. 1990 Vol. 2. Address
Germination references for the genus
- Proceedings of the symposium on the ecology, management, and utilization of California Oaks, Plumb, Timothy R. 1980. DOI
- A classification system for germination in desiccation-sensitive Fagaceae acorns: with particular focus on physiological and epicotyl dormancy, Jaganathan, Ganesh K and Phartyal, Shyam S. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 2024 pag. boae049. Address
- USDA Forest Service's Woody Plant Seed Manual, John K. Francis and Craig D.Whitesell. 2008. Address
- A classification system for germination in desiccation-sensitive Fagaceae acorns: with particular focus on physiological and epicotyl dormancy, Jaganathan, Ganesh K and Phartyal, Shyam S. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 2024 pag. boae049. Address
- USDA Forest Service's Woody Plant Seed Manual, John K. Francis and Craig D.Whitesell. 2008. Address
Experiences in the garden
01-01-05A Inventory of 3 plants in our garden, they are observed in zone(s) RFynb,Rp1
14-03-22 1x Dead plant: End of life: Parc3.
03-05-05B Obtaining 7 plants from nursery Soupe, they are in our nursery Grand1 7x motte
. . . 2016A Production of 35 plants in our nursery: Resin22 3x C55
03-10-18 20x Dead plant because of substrate problem: Petite Pép.
30-03-18 12x Dead plant because of substrate problem: Petite Pép.
24-11-18C Obtaining 30 plants from nursery Margheriti, they are in our nursery GrandPe5 28x C110
13-07-21 1x Dead plant because of substrate problem: Petit21 A45.