Native Plant Database

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Size Class: 72-100 ft.
Breeding System: Monoecious
Fruit Type: Nut
Leaf Color: Green
Autumn Foliage: yes
Fruit Color: Tan brown

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MD , MS , MO , NJ , NC , OK , SC , TN , TX , VA
Native Distribution: Coastal Plain from NJ & e. PA to n. FL & w. to LA; also n. in Mississippi Valley to s. IL
Native Habitat: Bottomland forests; stream banks; calcareous swamps
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: None
Soil Description: Deep, rich soils. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay, Acid-based.
Conditions Comments: Tolerates compaction better than most oaks. Long-lived and slow-growing. Adaptable. One of the best oaks for fall color. Drought tolerant.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Shade tree, Attractive, Fall conspicuous
Use Wildlife: Fruit-birds, Cover, Nesting site, Substrate-insectivorous birds.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Horaces Duskywing, Northern hairstreak, White M hairstreak.

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Quercus michauxii is a larval host and/or nectar source for:

White M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) Larval Host Learn more at BAMONA

Propagation

Description: Oaks are most often propagated from seed. No pretreatment is necessary. Plant immediately – outdoors or in deep containers to accomodate long initial taproot. The acorns sprout without a dormancy period and begin to germinate as soon as they fall from
Seed Collection: Best quality acorns are picked or shaken from the tree. Collect when color has changed to brown. Best if sown immediately as acorns lose viability quickly in storage. Short-term storage in moist, shaded saw dust or sand. Acorns to be sown immediately can be soaked in hot water for 15 min. to prevent weevil infestation. Stored seed should be fumigated with methyl bromide.
Seed Treatment: Not Available
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Prevent complete soil dryness, Prune to maintain shape, May be pruned 12 mo. out of the year, Fertilize 3 times a year with lawn fertilizer 3:1:2 ratio

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Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Pineywoods Native Plant Center - Nacogdoches, TX
Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS

Bibliography

Dale Groom's Texas Gardening Guide (2002) Groom, D.
Gardening with Native Plants of the South (1994) Wasowski and Wasowski
* Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender

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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 page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Quercus michauxii in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Quercus michauxii in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Quercus michauxii