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Wasowski, Sally and Andy
Quercus lyrata Walt.
Overcup oak, Swamp post oak, water white oak, swamp white oak
Fagaceae (Beech Family)
USDA Symbol: QULY
USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.
Overcup oak bears a distinctive acorn; the nut is almost entirely covered by the cup. The 30-45 ft., deciduous tree has a rounded crown at maturity. Its lower branches are upswept. Dark-green, leathery leaves turn rich, tannin-brown in fall, abscising early. Tree with rounded crown of small, often drooping branches, with acorns almost covered by the cup, and narrow deeply lobed leaves.
A medium to large slow growing tree up to 80 feet (24.4 m), occasionally to 155 feet (47.2 m), with a rounded crown. BARK: gray with deep furrows and scaly ridges or plates. TWIGS and BUDS: grayish pubescent twigs becoming smooth with age; ovoid buds with light brown pubescent scales. LEAVES: petiole 3⁄4 inch (19 mm) in length; leaf blade narrowly oblong, 4 - 6 1⁄2 inches (101 - 165 mm) long, 2 - 4 inches (51 - 101 mm) wide, base cuneate to acute, margins deeply lobed with sinuses greater than 1⁄2 way to midrib, lobes rounded with 1 - 3 teeth; surface dark green (may be shiny) above, and pubescent grayish-green below, with a whitish bloom that rubs off.
The Latin species name, meaning lyre-shaped, refers to the leaves.
From the Image Gallery
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Oblong
Leaf Venation: Pinnate
Leaf Margin: Lobed
Leaf Base: Cuneate
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious
Inflorescence: Catkin
Fruit Type: Nut
Size Notes: Medium to large slow growing tree up to 80 feet (24.4 m), occasionally to 155 feet (47.2 m).
Leaf: Leaf surface dark green (may be shiny) above, and pubescent grayish-green below.
Fruit: Acorns annual; 1 1⁄2 inch (38 mm) peduncle with 1 - 2 acorns; spheroid shaped cup with gray pubescent scales, covering most of the nut; light brown, ovoid or oblong nut, 1 - 2 inches (25 - 51 mm) long, finely pubescent.
Size Class: 72-100 ft. , More than 100 ft.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: YellowBloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NJ , OK , SC , TN , TX , VANative Distribution: Delaware and New Jersey south to Florida, west to Texas, and north through the Mississippi Valley and drainages to Iowa, Illinois and Indiana.
Native Habitat: Restricted to poorly-drained lowlands of the Southern coastal plain and major rivers of the South and mid West.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)
Growing Conditions
Water Use: HighLight Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Poorly drained soils.
Conditions Comments: Tolerates flooding. Not widely available, but is likely to become an important landscape tree.
Benefit
Use Wildlife: Attracts migratory waterfowl.Use Other: This oak species is often utilized as white oak lumber.
Interesting Foliage: yes
Find Seed or Plants
View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.
Bibliography
Bibref 1134 - Field Guide to Native Oak Species of Eastern North America (2003) Stein, John D. and Denise BinionSearch More Titles in Bibliography
Recommended Species Lists
Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.
View Recommended Species pageAdditional resources
USDA: Find Quercus lyrata in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Quercus lyrata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Quercus lyrata
Metadata
Record Modified: 2011-09-27Research By: TWC Staff
