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Quercus lyrata
Also called Swamp Post Oak
Quercus lyrata, the overcup oak, is an oak in the white oak group (Quercus sect. Quercus). The common name, overcup oak, refers to its acorns that are mostly enclosed within the acorn cup. It is native to lowland wetlands in the eastern and south-central United States, in all the coastal states from New Jersey to Texas, inland as far as Oklahoma, Missouri, and Illinois. There are historical reports of it growing in Iowa, but the species appears to have been extirpated there. It is a slow-growing tree that often takes 25 to 30 years to mature. It has an estimated lifespan of 400 years.
Quercus lyrata has an extensive range that extends across the central and eastern United States. It is in all the coastal states from New Jersey to Texas, inland as far as Oklahoma, Missouri, and Illinois. It is found in small populations in the states of Delaware, Tennessee, Maryland, and Alabama. There are historical reports of it growing in Iowa, but the species appears to have been extirpated there. The overcup oak is also considered to be endangered in New Jersey.
The wood is considered less valuable than that of other white oaks. This is due to its relatively high susceptibility to injury and disease. However, it can be used for lumber and cooperage. It is not often used to make quality products such as furniture. It can be used as firewood. Its acorns are eaten by birds and mammals, but are a low severity poison to humans. The tree can also be planted as an ornamental.
Quercus acatenangensis · Mapleleaf oak · Quercus acherdophylla · Quercus acrodonta · Quercus aculcingensis · Red Wood Evergreen Oak · Quercus acutangula · Quercus acutifolia · Sawtooth oak · Quercus aerea · African Oak · Quercus affinis
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Quercus lyrata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
