Mark A. Miller
Family
Fagaceae
Botanical Name
Quercus acutissima
Plant Common Name
Sawtooth Oak
General Description
The lustrous, dark green, lance-shaped leaves of sawtooth oak turn rich yellow to golden brown late in fall. It is native to wooded regions of the Himalayas, China, Korea and Japan in Asia but has been introduced in the southeastern United States. This large deciduous tree has a broadly-rounded crown and tall upright trunk with corky, medium-gray to nearly black bark. Young trees have a more pyramidal crown.
The distinctive leaves of sawtooth oak are long, lance-shaped and have coarse, bristle-tipped teeth. The leaves emerge later in spring than those of many other large shade trees. The trees are monecious, which means male and female flowers exist separately on a tree. In spring, the pendent green male catkins appear first followed by the tiny female flowers, which are borne at the bases of new leaves. After flowering, they produce lots of rich brown acorns with distinctive scaly, hairy caps. These are persistent until they begin dropping in fall. In late autumn the leaves turn golden yellow or brown and often persist on the branches well into winter.
Drought tolerant once established, sawtooth oak grows best in full sun and fertile, well-drained acid soil. It is widely regarded as one of the few oaks that transplants well. This is a handsome shade tree for any large yard or open park space. It is not a good street tree because its copious acorns can be messy and problematic to pedestrians and drivers.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
8 - 3
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USDA Hardiness Zone
5 - 9
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Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
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Plant Type
Tree
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Height
35'-70' / 10.7m - 21.3m (45)
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Width
35'-70' / 10.7m - 21.3m (50)
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Bloom Time
Late Spring
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Native To
Central Asia, India, Nepal, China, Japan, Korea
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Insignificant
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Flower Color
Red, Light Green
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Fruit Color
Sandy Brown
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Light Green, Dark Green, Yellow Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Yellow, Brown, Sandy Brown
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Bark Color
Black, Gray
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Coarse
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Foliage Sheen
Glossy
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
Yes
