Quercus laurifolia

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Swamp laurel oak

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Fagaceae
Genus: Quercus
Subgenus: Quercus subg. Quercus
Section:
Quercus sect. Lobatae
Species:
Q. laurifolia
Binomial name
Quercus laurifolia
Natural range of Quercus laurifolia
Synonyms[2]
List
  • Quercus aquatica var. laurifolia (Michx.) A. DC.
  • Quercus phellos var. laurifolia (Michx.) Chapm.
  • Quercus uliginosa var. laurifolia (Michx.) Zabel
  • Quercus laurifolia var. acuta Willd.
  • Quercus laurifolia f. dentata Trel.
  • Quercus laurifolia var. hybrida Michx.
  • Quercus laurifolia f. obovatifolia (Sarg.) Trel.
  • Quercus laurifolia var. obtusa Willd.
  • Quercus laurifolia var. rhombica (Sarg.) Trel.
  • Quercus laurifolia var. tridentata Sarg.
  • Quercus obtusa (Willd.) Ashe
  • Quercus obtusa Sarg.
  • Quercus obtusa (Willd.) Pursh
  • Quercus obtusa var. obovatifolia (Sarg.) Ashe
  • Quercus rhombica Sarg.
  • Quercus rhombica var. obovatifolia Sarg.

Quercus laurifolia (swamp laurel oak, diamond-leaf oak, water oak, obtusa oak, laurel oak) is a medium-sized semi-evergreen oak in the red oak section Quercus sect. Lobatae. It is native to the southeastern and south-central the United States.

Description

Quercus laurifolia is a

germinate the following spring after fall ripening; germination is hypogeal
.

Swamp laurel oak grows rapidly and usually matures in about 50 years.

A similar evergreen oak that also grows in sandy soils is Quercus hemisphaerica, the sand laurel oak.

Taxonomy

The botanist C.J. Burke

water oak (Quercus nigra); it is not found outside the ranges of the two supposed parental species. This conclusion was based on an index from leaf-shape on seedlings grown from acorns. However, this theory has not achieved wide support, with current authors accepting Quercus laurifolia as a distinct species (e.g. Flora of North America).[3]

Distribution and habitat

Swamp laurel oak grows from coastal Virginia to central Florida and west to southeast Texas.[6] There are reports of the species growing in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but these probably represent introductions.[7]

The species is found mostly on

flood plains, from sea level up to 150 m (490 ft) altitude. It will tolerate the wetter sites in association with other oak species but will not live with continuous or prolonged flooding. It is most often found growing in sandy soil near rivers and along the edges of swamps if not too frequently flooded. Swamp laurel oak grows in the hammocks of central Florida and on sand hills adjacent to swamps in west Florida. Swamp laurel oak grows best on ultisols and inceptisols
.

The range has average annual temperatures from 16 to 21 °C (61 to 70 °F). It can withstand extreme lows ranging from −1 to −28 °C (30 to −18 °F). Extreme highs range from 38 to 43 °C (100 to 109 °F).

It needs between 1,250–1,500 mm (49–59 in) of rainfall a year. From 500–1,000 mm (20–39 in) of this is received during the growing season from April to September.

The laurel oak is probably one of the most cold-hardy evergreen oaks. Trees growing in Cincinnati indicate the laurel oak may be hardy even further north than previously thought tolerating temperatures lower than −29 °C (−20 °F) and surviving into zone 5. In Cincinnati trees have been observed staying green well into December.

Ecology

Known hybrids with Quercus laurifolia as one parent are with Q. falcata (Q × beaumontiana Sarg.), Q. incana (Q. × atlantica Ashe), and Q. marilandica (Q. × diversiloba Tharp ex A. Camus).

The tree is host to the general oak-feeding insects but has no serious insect problems. Several species of Curculio weevils infest the acorns.

Despite their bitter kernel, the acorns are eaten by

bobwhite quail and wild turkeys), raccoons and small rodents
.

Uses

It is grown and marketed mainly as

ornamental tree
in landscaping because of its fast growth and pleasing appearance; it is planted with little regard to soil type.

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T194186A2303387.en
    . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Quercus laurifolia Michx.". Tropicos. Missouri Botanical Garden.
  3. ^ a b c Nixon, Kevin C. (1997). "Quercus laurifolia". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 3. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  4. ^ Burke, C. J. (1961). An evaluation of three hybrid-containing oak populations on the North Carolina Outer Banks. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 78(l):18-21.
  5. ^ Burke, C. J. (1963). The hybrid nature of Quercus laurifolia. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 79(2):159-163.
  6. ^ Interactive Distribution Map of Quercus laurifolia
  7. ^ "Quercus laurifolia". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Quercus laurifolia.
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