The common names of this plant tell the story. Downy refers to the stems and leaves which are covered with downy hairs. Oak Leach or Leach comes from its hemiparasitic properties on oak trees, attaching like a leach to the oak tree and derives some of its nutrients from the oak tree's roots. It can also survive without a host plant. Downy Oak Leach is a native herbaceous perennial and hemiparasitic on white oaks, but does possess chlorophyll and performs photosynthesis. It is commonly found in the mountains in dry to mesic forests, along stream banks, and in disturbed sites in all areas of NC. Deer eagerly browse this plant. The yellow flowers open June through August in terminal clusters of yellow funnel-shaped blooms atop downy stems. They typically open in the morning and close in the afternoon. They prefer partial sun in rocky, clay or sandy loam. Plant the seeds or plants near a tree in the white oak family.
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.
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet; 3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Cascading
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire; Lobed; Serrate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Lower stem leaves are opposite, petiole, simple ovate to lanceolate, 2.5-6 inches long and .5 to 1.5 inches wide. The lower leaves sometimes have lobes or teeth. Mostly hairless, except for along the veins.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Funnel; Tubular
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
5 yellow petals fused into a corolla tube. Blooms appear in bract axils in terminal racemes in the spring and then again in the fall. They open in the morning and fade by noon.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
A hairy dry ovoid capsule that splits open when ripe.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Rigid, brittle, square, and pubescent. Foliage can be found on the upper portion of the stem. The stems are rough to the touch.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
E. U.S.A. to Texas
Distribution
AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WV
Wildlife value
The flowers attract bees and butterflies. Serves as a host plant for many varieties of bees.