Quercus marilandica

Quercus marilandica, the blackjack oak, is a small oak, one of the red oak group Quercus sect. Lobatae. It is native to the eastern and central United States.

Description

A deciduous tree. It grows 12-15 m high. It spreads 10 m wide. It is a broadly spreading oak tree. The bark is blackish and cracks into small square plates. The leaves are triangle shaped and 25 cm long by about 20 cm across. They taper to the base. There are usually 3 lobes at the top. They are dark green and glossy above and paler underneath. The male and females flowers are separate but on the same plant. The male flowers are easier to see and are yellow-green and droop. The fruit is an acorn about 2 cm long. About half of the nut is enclosed in a cup.

Edible Uses

The seed must be cooked and was used in times of scarcity. It measures about 2cm long and can be dried and ground into a powder for use as a thickening agent in stews or mixed with cereals for bread. The seed contains bitter tannins that can be removed by thoroughly washing in running water, though minerals are lost in the process. Both whole seeds and ground powder can be leached — whole seeds may take several days or weeks, and a traditional method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a running stream. Ground powder leaches faster. A taste test confirms when tannins have been sufficiently removed. The traditional preparation involved burying seeds in boggy ground over winter; the germinating seeds dug up in spring would have shed most of their astringency. The roasted seed can be used as a coffee substitute.

Traditional Uses

The boiled acorns are used as food in times of scarcity.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

An infusion of the tree's bark charcoal has been taken to ease childbirth, help expel the afterbirth, and relieve cramps. Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, and dysentery.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It is native to the eastern United States. It grows on poor, often sandy soil. It grows up to 900 m altitude in SE regions of the USA. It suits hardiness zones 5-9. Arboretum Tasmania.

Where It Grows

Australia, North America, Tasmania, USA,

Cultivation

Prefers a good deep fertile loam which can be on the stiff side. Lime tolerant. Young plants tolerate reasonable levels of side shade. Tolerates moderate exposure, surviving well but being somewhat stunted. Trees are tolerant of dry sandy sterile soils. Prefers warmer summers than are usually experienced in Britain, trees often grow poorly in this country and fail to properly ripen their wood resulting in frost damage overwinter. A slow-growing and short-lived tree. The tree flowers on new growth produced in spring, the seed taking two summers to ripen. Intolerant of root disturbance, trees should be planted in their permanent positions whilst young. Hybridizes freely with other members of the genus. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.

Propagation

Seed loses viability quickly if allowed to dry out. It can be stored moist and cool over winter, but is best sown as soon as it is ripe in an outdoor seed bed with protection from mice and squirrels. Small quantities can be sown in deep pots in a cold frame. Because plants develop a deep taproot, they should be moved to their permanent positions as soon as possible — seeds sown in situ produce the best trees. Do not leave trees in a nursery bed for more than 2 growing seasons, as they will transplant very poorly.

Other Uses

A mulch of leaves placed around plants repels slugs, grubs, and similar pests. Fresh leaves should not be used as they can inhibit plant growth. Oak galls, produced by insect larvae that feed within them, are a rich source of tannin once the insect has left, and can also be used as a dyestuff. The wood is heavy, hard, strong, and close-grained, weighing 46lb per cubic foot, but the tree is too small to have commercial value and is used only for fence posts, charcoal, and fuel.

Other Information

It is a famine food.

Notes

There are about 600 Quercus species.

Synonyms

References (7)

• Coombes, A.J., 2000, Trees. Dorling Kindersley Handbooks. p 166
• Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1125
• Hausvater 5:253. 1770
• Little, E.L., 1980, National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees. Alfred A. Knopf. p 397
• Moerman, D. F., 2010, Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press. p 463

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