Quercus sinuata
A deciduous oak in the Fagaceae native to the central and southeastern United States to northeastern Mexico, reaching 15–20 m tall with flaky gray-brown bark, leaves often with silvery undersides and stellate pubescence on the lower surface, small subsessile acorns, and two varieties differing in habit and acorn size.
Common Names
Bastard Oak, Durand Oak, Durand White Oak, White Shin Oak, Bluff Oak
Summary
Bastard oak, also called Durand oak, is a deciduous shrub or tree in the Fagaceae native to the southern United States and parts of Mexico, usually reaching about 20 m tall, occasionally 26 m, with one or more trunks. Leaves are oblong to oblanceolate, 3–12(–14) cm long and 2–6 cm wide, margins entire or irregularly dentate or sinuate lobed; the upper surface green and glabrous, the lower surface silvery or dull green with minute stellate hairs; acorns are ovoid to oblong, 0.7–1.5 cm long, enclosed 1/8–1/4 in the saucer-shaped cupule; flowering in March and fruiting in October; bark is gray to light brown, flaky to exfoliating; habitat includes oak woodlands, scrubland and along streams from 0–600 m elevation in USA and Mexico, and hardiness zone 5–6.
Two varieties exist: var. sinuata, a tree to about 15–20 m tall, and var. breviloba (White Shin Oak), a drought-tolerant shrub or small tree up to 30 ft tall with a 20–25 ft spread; var. breviloba is valued for wildlife habitat, shade, and soil improvement and prefers full sun with soil pH 6.0–7.5. Propagation can be from seeds or semi-hardwood cuttings; acorns feed wildlife and are edible after leaching; in landscapes, it provides habitat, shade, and ornamental value, with hardiness in USDA zones 5–6.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
49 ft 2 in – 85 ft
Spread
20-25 ft
Hardiness Zones
Zones 5-6
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun (6-8 hours daily).
Soil Type
Well-draining limestone/calcareous soil with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
Soil Drainage
Well-draining soil; avoid waterlogged conditions.
Soil pH
6.8-7.2
Bloom Color
Yellow-green, reddish green
Bloom Time
Spring
Foliage Color
Upper surface green to gray-green; lower surface silvery or dull green.
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Moderate growth; about 1–2 ft/year
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds and Cuttings
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts birds and butterflies
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Walter
- Publication
- Fl. Carol. : 235 (1788)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Fagales
- Family
- Fagaceae
- Genus
- Quercus
- Subgenus
- Quercus subgen. Quercus
- Section
- Quercus sect. Quercus
Inferior Taxa
Quercus sinuata var. breviloba Quercus sinuata var. sinuata
Synonyms
Quercus emoryi Quercus undulata Quercus sinuata f. durandii Quercus pagoda f. sinuata