Oriental Cork Oak is a medium to large tree from Asia with thick, corky bark and chestnut type leaves. It is quite ornamental in appearance. It prefers moist, well-drained clay to sandy loam soils and full sun but will tolerate some shade. Oriental Oak is rarely grown in the US but can be used as a shade, street or ornamental tree. 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); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in. | Width: 60 ft. 0 in. - 75 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Open
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green; White
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The 6-inch leaves are elongate with serrate margin and white pubescence on the underside. Each leaf has 13-18 pairs of parallel side veins each of which ends at the leaf margin in a tiny bristle-like tooth. Young trees hold their leaves into winter.
Flower form
Catkin; Insignificant
Flower detail
Male flowers appear as drooping catkins, female flowers in clusters.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The 5/8 inch brown acorn is round and two-thirds enclosed in the cup, which is densely covered in soft 'mossy' bristles. Matures in 2 years.
Bark color
Light Gray
Bark detail
The yellowish-gray bark is thick and corky with deep fissures and marked by sinuous ridges
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver; Green
Stem detail
Twigs are olive-brown to pale brown, almost hairless, somewhat shiny, becoming grey-brown with age.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Asia
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. Mildly resistant to deer damage.
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths; Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Nut
Edibility
Acorns can be eaten after the tannin is leached or boiled out.