“The Most Common Texas Oak”
The post oak (Quercus stellata) is one of the most common oaks in Texas, and occurs from Texas and Oklahoma east throughout the southeast and mid-Atlantic states. The latin ‘stellata’ means ‘star’ and refers to the star-shaped trichomes, or leaf hairs, on the bottom surface of its leaves. Decay-resistant, the wood is often used for fence posts (hence the name), as well as for construction timbers and railroad ties. Post oak is in the white oak group, and readily cross-breeds with other white oaks, resulting in numerous hybrids.
Culture
- Grows naturally on poor, rocky or sandy soils, and is considered an indicator of poor soil
- Ranges from a small scrubby tree in poor soils to a medium to large tree when grown in better soils
- Tolerates fire because of thick bark
- Roots extremely sensitive to compaction, saturation from overwatering, and other disturbances, and will suffer accordingly
Concerns
- Spider mites may cause damage in hot and dry weather
- Lace bugs are a common insect pest that can cause discoloration and chlorotic stippling
- Defoliating caterpillars are an occasional concern
Bartlett Management Practices
- Protect root zones with mulch
- Create individual irrigation zone for post oak in lawn areas to avoid adverse effects of improper irrigation
- Treat for prevention against Phytophthora root disease in areas of over-irrigation or poor drainage
- Monitor and treat for spider mites when populations reach damaging levels, usually mid- to late-summer
