Georgia oak
Encyclopedia
Quercus georgiana, the Georgia oak or Stone Mountain oak, is a rare deciduous oak
. It is native to the southeastern United States
, with a very restricted range in the southern Appalachian Mountains
and outlying monadnock
s, mainly in northern Georgia
, but also very locally in portions of Alabama
and South Carolina
. It grows on dry granite and sandstone outcrops of mountain slopes at 50-500 m altitude.
It is a small tree
, often shrub
by, growing to 8-15 m (25-50 feet) tall. The shiny green leaves are 4-13 cm (2-5 inches) long and 2-9 cm wide, with a 0.6-2.3 cm petiole, and five irregular, pointed, bristle-tipped lobes; they are glabrous (hairless), except for small but conspicuous tufts of hairs in the vein axils on the underside. The leaves turn dark red to brown in the autumn, stay on the tree throughout the winter, and fall as the new leaves bud in the spring. The acorns are round, 9-14 mm long, maturing about 18 months after pollination.
The Georgia oak is classified in the red oak section Quercus sect. Lobatae. The tree was first discovered in 1849 at Stone Mountain
, Georgia, where several specimens grow along the popular walk-up trail. In the wild they are often shrub-like.
It is occasionally cultivated as a specimen or garden tree in USDA plant hardiness zones 5-8. Besides landscape horticulture
, the Georgia oak has no commercial uses.
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
. It is native to the southeastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with a very restricted range in the southern Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
and outlying monadnock
Monadnock
A monadnock or inselberg is an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain...
s, mainly in northern Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, but also very locally in portions of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. It grows on dry granite and sandstone outcrops of mountain slopes at 50-500 m altitude.
It is a small tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
, often shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
by, growing to 8-15 m (25-50 feet) tall. The shiny green leaves are 4-13 cm (2-5 inches) long and 2-9 cm wide, with a 0.6-2.3 cm petiole, and five irregular, pointed, bristle-tipped lobes; they are glabrous (hairless), except for small but conspicuous tufts of hairs in the vein axils on the underside. The leaves turn dark red to brown in the autumn, stay on the tree throughout the winter, and fall as the new leaves bud in the spring. The acorns are round, 9-14 mm long, maturing about 18 months after pollination.
The Georgia oak is classified in the red oak section Quercus sect. Lobatae. The tree was first discovered in 1849 at Stone Mountain
Stone Mountain
Stone Mountain is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock in Stone Mountain, Georgia, United States. At its summit, the elevation is 1,686 feet amsl and 825 feet above the surrounding area. Stone Mountain granite extends underground at its longest point into Gwinnett County...
, Georgia, where several specimens grow along the popular walk-up trail. In the wild they are often shrub-like.
It is occasionally cultivated as a specimen or garden tree in USDA plant hardiness zones 5-8. Besides landscape horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, the Georgia oak has no commercial uses.