Quercus lyrataIndiana Native
Overcup Oak

Family:

Fagaceae (Beech Family) 46

Genus:

Quercus (Oak) 33

Plant Type:

Tree 569

Growth Forms:

Upright 572

Hardiness:

USDA Zone 5 252

Deciduous / Evergreen:

Deciduous 838

Flower Notes:

Yellow;red (Long, yellow male catkins; short reddish female catkins; March- April; not ornamentally important)

Foliage Notes:

Green (Dark green leaves with deep, rounded lobes; summer); Yellow (Usually poor yellow-brown fall foliage, sometimes an attractive orange-red)

Stem Notes:

Gray/Silver (pubescent, finally glabrous, scaly buds)

Fruit Notes:

Brown (Up to 1" long acorn with a cap that can cover up to 3/4 of the nut)

Ultimate Height:

40-60 feet

Ultimate Spread:

40-60 feet

Bloom Times:

April 186

Light Requirements:

Soil Water Requirements:

Soil Notes:

Prefers acidic, moist to wet soils

Range:

Central and Southeastern United States

Maintenance:

Medium 79

Diagnostic Characteristics:

Leaves (6-8" long) are alternate and simple with 3-5 pairs of deep, rounded lobes and white to green pubescence underneath. The gray-brown stems are stout and angled. Acorns are 0.75-1" long and wide with a cap that may cover up to 3/4 of the nut.

Ecological Functions:

Special Characteristics:

Wet Soil Tolerant 109

Additional Information

The Overcup Oak is a medium-sized oak with an oval crown and lower branches that sweep upward. This species thrives in lowlands and bottomlands and can tolerate extended flooding. The common name is derived from its acorn, which can be nearly 3/4 "cupped" by the cap. Acorns generally aren't produced until the tree is around 25-30 years old.