Missouri Department of Conservation
Home » Discover Nature » Field Guide

Blackjack Oak

Quercus marilandica
Family: 
Fagaceae (oaks)
Description: 

A small to medium-sized tree with a rounded, irregular crown; distinctive bark; and a tendency to retain dead branches on the middle to lower part of the trunk. It is well limbed along the entire length of the trunk.

Leaves distinctively wedge- or bell-shaped; alternate, simple, bristle-tipped, leathery and shallowly 3–lobed. Upper surface is dark green and shiny; lower surface is yellow-brown or yellow-green, with tan to brown hairs. Several leaves persist in winter.

Bark resembles alligator hide; blackish, very rough, with square or rectangular blocks.

Twigs stout, stiff, grayish-brown and densely hairy at first, smooth later; buds reddish-brown, narrowly cone-shaped, hairy.

Flowers April–May; in catkins.

Fruits September–October, a yellow-brown acorn, 1/2 to 1 inch long; cup deep, turban-shaped, red-brown, scales loose, hairy, covering 1/3 or 1/2 of the nut. Stalk very short. Acorns ripen in autumn of second year.

Size: 
Height: up to 60 feet, but rarely more than 30–40 feet.
Habitat and conservation: 
Occurs in acid soils over sandstone, chert or igneous bedrock, on dry, often level uplands, slopes and glades. Common in forests that have been badly burned; often found growing on the poorest soils. Blackjack oak can withstand fire because of its thick, insulating bark and its ability to resprout. It is one of the first trees to occupy an area following a fire. Relatively short-lived, the slow-growing species cannot grow in shade.
Distribution in Missouri: 
Statewide.
Human connections: 
The wood has been used for railroad ties, fenceposts, charcoal and fuel. Native Americans had many medicinal uses for oaks. Blackjack oak is a humble, unadmired tree, but we must also give credit to this rugged tree for living in places where few other trees will live.
Ecosystem connections: 
Jays, woodpeckers, turkey, mice, squirrels, raccoon and deer eat the acorns. Innumerable organisms, from lichens to spiders, birds, snakes, squirrels and raccoons, live in oak trees, in cracks in the bark, among the leaves, in the branches or in hollow wood.

Other Content You May Like

  • Shaping a forest for people and trees

    A woodland tended best benefits wildlife and people. One fine example is the Riverbreaks Conservation Area forest.

  • The Mighty White Oak

    This important hardwood lumber tree shades yards, soothes homeowners and feeds urban wildlife.

  • Bur Oak

    Among the many majestic American oaks with legendary and historic value, McBaine, Missouri's state champion bur oak has a 91-inch-diameter trunk, is over three hundred years old, and survived the flood of 1993. Recently, specialists have been fertilizing and aerating its soil, carefully pruning it, and taking twig samples in order to preserve its extraordinary genetic line.

  • Chinkapin Oak

    This attractive tree is fairly easy to identify because of its distinctively toothed leaves. It has edible acorns and valuable wood. Look for it growing in rocky soils derived from limestone or dolomite on bluffs and in upland woods. It is also found in floodplain forests and lower slopes along streams.

  • Dwarf Chestnut Oak

    Although only 3–10 feet tall, and the shortest of Missouri's oaks, this shrub or small tree can nevertheless produce abundant acorns that are relished by several types of birds and mammals.

  • Post Oak

    True to its name, post oak has long been favored for fence posts and played an important historic role in the success of American pioneers. This tree, which has distinctive cross- or ghost-shaped leaves, is found in rocky upland woodlands and in flatwoods on broad ridges.

  • Northern Red Oak

    This handsome tree is a favorite for planting in streets and parks and is one of the most widespread and commercially important of the oaks. The lumber industry and many field guides separate oak trees into two broad groups: the "white oaks" and the "red oaks." This species typifies the latter.

MDC's Mission, Vision, Priorities

MDC protects and manages Missouri's fish, forest, and wildlife resources.

We also facilitate your participation in resource-management activities, and we provide opportunities for you to use, enjoy and learn about nature.

Find out more

Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center
Shortened URL
http://mdc.mo.gov/node/6627
Serving Nature and You

MDC protects and manages Missouri's fish, forest, and wildlife resources.
We also facilitate your participation in resource-management activities, and we provide opportunities for you to use, enjoy and learn about nature.

Featured Pic

Check out the featured picture and other images at the MDC Media Gallery

Visit the media gallery
Popular Topics

Follow MDC on Twitter Facebook YouTube Flickr Pinterest Slideshare MDC RSS feeds

© 2013 Conservation Commission of Missouri. All rights reserved.