Dwarf Chestnut Oak

Media
Illustration of dwarf chestnut oak leaf.
Scientific Name
Quercus prinoides
Family
Fagaceae (oaks)
Description

Dwarf chestnut oak is a shrub or small tree, usually growing in multistemmed clumps or thickets.

Leaves are alternate, simple, leathery, 1½–4 inches long; margin wavy, widely toothed, with 4–8 teeth per side, a vein running to each tooth; upper surface green, shiny, smooth; lower surface much paler, velvety-hairy; turning red in autumn.

Bark is brownish-gray, smooth, with horizontal pores; developing into flat, scaly, checkered ridges with shallow furrows.

Twigs are reddish-brown and hairy, becoming gray and smooth.

Flowers April–May, in catkins.

Fruits September–October, acorns about ½ to ¾ inch long, egg-shaped, dark reddish-brown; cap enclosing a third of the acorn, grayish-brown, scales small, warty, densely hairy; nut sweet, edible, maturing the first season.

Similar species: Leaves are similar to those of chinkapin oak, but dwarf chestnut oak's are smaller (less than 4 inches long), with usually no more than 8 teeth per side and usually blunter teeth.

Other Common Names
Dwarf Chinkapin Oak
Scrub Oak
Size

Height: to 15 feet, but usually only 3–10 feet.

Where To Find
image of Dwarf Chestnut Oak  distribution map

Usually found in prairies and open areas of north Missouri; can be planted statewide.

Occurs in dry soils in open woods, on glades, on prairies, along bluffs, and in thickets. This species can sometimes be difficult to manage in prairies, having a tendency to form thickets. Periodic burning (a natural process) or haying helps to keep it and other woody plants from dominating prairies.

The dwarf nature of this oak makes it an interesting planting for borders.

The acorns are eaten by several birds and mammals. Any shrub that forms thickets can provide home — or merely needed shelter — for a wide variety of animals.

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About Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines in Missouri
There are no sharp dividing lines between trees, shrubs, and woody vines, or even between woody and nonwoody plants. “Wood” is a type of tissue made of cellulose and lignin that many plants develop as they mature — whether they are “woody” or not. Trees are woody plants over 13 feet tall with a single trunk. Shrubs are less than 13 feet tall, with multiple stems. Vines require support or else sprawl over the ground.