Cherrybark Oak is a native deciduous tree and one of the most highly valued red oaks in SE USA. It is common in the Carolinas and can grow to 130 feet in the wild with a straight trunk and is relatively fast-growing. Regular branching forms a broad round crown of glossy, dark green foliage. Fall color is yellow-brown and the leaves drop in autumn. Acorns take 2 years to mature on trees at least 25 years old. The leaf shape is pagoda-like. It grows best in moist, well-drained bottomland sites, but is adaptable to drier sites in full sun to partial shade. Useful as a shade tree in large areas, street tree or naturalized spaces 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 ) . Pest: Cherrybark oak is susceptible to oak wilt (Ceratocystis fagacearum). Heart rot in standing cherrybark oak trees generally is greater on poor sites than on good sites. Also susceptible to wood-boring insects and oak-tree galls. Hispidus canker (Polyporus hispidus) is common on cherrybark oak.
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) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
24-60 feet; more than 60 feet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 90 ft. 0 in. - 130 ft. 0 in. | Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves are about 5-8" long and 3-5" across and have with 5-11 lobes which are acute and bristle tipped with shallow sinuses. When viewed upright it is said to resemble a Chinese pagoda. The upper leaf surface is dark green and glabrous, while the lower leaf surface is greyish-white and densely covered with fine star-shaped hairs. Leaves turn yellow-brown before falling in the autumn.
Fall color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green; White
Flower form
Catkin; Insignificant
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Produces small, yellow-green, cylindrical, male flowers and small green female flowers on spikes. Blooms April to May
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Orange
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
This tree produces a 1/2" acorn with an orange-brown, hairy, scaly cap that covers about 1/3 of the nut. The acorn requires two growing seasons to reach maturity. Matures September to November.
Bark color
Dark Gray
Bark detail
The bark is initially smooth but develops small scaly ridges which are quite rough. The mature bark resembles a cherry tree.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Twigs are rather stout, reddish-brown to grey, usually hairy when young and becoming smooth as the tree matures.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern Central & South East U.S.A
Distribution
AL , AR , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NJ , OK , SC , TN , TX , VA. Found in the southeastern United States from Maryland to Florida and over west into Texas, also found north into Indiana and Illinois.
Wildlife value
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. The Acorns are eaten by woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatches, blue jays, ducks, small mammals, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer and black bear.
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Play value
Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Nut
Edibility
Acorns can be eaten once the tannins have been leached or boiled out.
Uses (ethnobotany)
Excellent timber tree for furniture and interior finish. Due to cherrybark being very strong it is a desirable furniture wood.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Meadow; Naturalized Area; Pond
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Native Garden; Nighttime Garden; Pollinator Garden; Water Garden