Bartram Oak is a large deciduous tree in the Fabaceae (beech) family. It is found growing in the central and eastern United States as a naturally occurring hybrid between Q. phellos and Q. rubra where both trees are found to grow naturally. Being a hybrid, the leaves can be variable even on the same tree. The acorns tend to be small and nearly stemless. As with all oaks, it is a wildlife magnet for birds, butterflies, moths and mammals. Plant it in the full sun in moist acidic soils. It does not need overly fertile soils to thrive. The crown is rounded with an open branching pattern and makes a great shade tree for a large yard, park or other public areas.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Open; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Various leaf shapes from lanceolate to ovate, smooth to sparsely toothed margins and 6-7" long. Upper leaves are glossy and smooth undersides are lighter in color and have hairs in the vein axils. Red-brown fall color.
Fall color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Flower form
Catkin; Insignificant
Flower detail
Male flowers in catkins, 1 to a few female flowers are short
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Sparse acorns look similar to Q. rubra but have larger caps.
Bark color
Dark Gray; Light Gray
Bark detail
Gray bark remains smooth until the tree is very mature. Becomes shallowly furrowed into broad hard scaly ridges.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Central and northeast U.S.A.
Wildlife value
Many caterpillars feed on oaks and provide food for birds. They provide nesting and shelter sites, and acorns feed birds and mammals.
Acorns are edible once the tannins are leached out.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Meadow; Naturalized Area; Woodland
Landscape theme
Rain Garden
Design feature
Shade Tree; Street Tree
Garden tags
#deciduous tree #wind tolerant #fall color red #acorns #street tree #naturalized area #native tree #mammals #host plant #shade tree #bird friendly #windbreak #larval host plant #stream banks #wildlife friendly #meadow #woodland
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Wind
Propagation
Seed
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Fruits; Leaves
Poison symptoms
Stomach pain, constipation and later bloody diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination.