Oglethorpe Oak was first discovered in 1940 in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. It is an endangered species native to the southeastern United States and is threatened by land use changes, competition, and chestnut blight disease caused by Cryphonectria parasitica . Conservation efforts are currently underway to save the tree by people like the Morton Arboretum. Several arboretums have established the tree. It is a medium to large-sized tree with a pyramidal to oval crown which becomes rounded with age. Lower branches often droop. The crown usually appears filled with sprouts and a dense growth of twigs. The leaves are similar to the Willow Oak in shape and turn red-brown in the fall and persist into winter. The natural habitat is moist clay soils in the piedmont area of southeast US. It is a host plant for the larvae of the Imperial moth ( Eacles imperialis ) , as well as numerous butterflies, including Banded hairstreak ( Satyrium calanus ) , Edward's hairstreak ( Satyrium edwardsii ) , Gray hairstreak ( Strymon melinus ) , White-m hairstreak ( Parrhasius malbum ) , Horace's duskywing ( Erynnis horatius ) , and Juvenalis duskywing ( Erynnis juvenalis ) .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Wet
Available space
24-60 feet
NC region
Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in. | Width: 45 ft. 0 in. - 65 ft. 0 in.
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Oval; Pyramidal; Rounded
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Oblanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire; Sinuate
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Dark green leaves which are hairless above and light green beneath with yellowish pubescence. Leaves persist into winter. They are 2-5 inch long and 1/2 - 2 inches wide. Margins are smooth to wavy.
Fall color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Brown/Copper
Flower form
Catkin; Insignificant
Flower detail
Male and female flowers grow on the same tree. Male flowers are borne on hanging slender catkins and females are borne on short spikes.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
0.5 in. dark brown acorn enclosed 1/3 by a cup which is top-shaped, with appressed scales. They mature in 1 year;
Bark color
Light Brown; Light Gray
Bark detail
The bark is gray-brown, tight and quite hard, with broad, irregular ridges and very shallow furrows.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Young twigs are reddish-brown and hairless. On older twigs and branches grayish.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Alabama, NE. Georgia, W. South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi
Distribution
GA , LA , MS , SC
Wildlife value
Mildly resistant to deer damage. Birds and mammals eat the acorns. Oak trees support a wide variety of Lepidopteran. You may see Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May. Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), has one flight from May-July in the south and June-July in the north. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), has three to four flights in the south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) has three broods in the north from February-October. Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) has three broods in Texas and the deep south from January-November, and two broods in the north from April-September. Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) has one brood from April-June, appearing as early as January in Florida.
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths; Pollinators
Play value
Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Nuts
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Nut
Edibility
Acorns (nuts) are edible after tannins are leached or boiled out.