Post oak - Definition and Overview

Post oak, Quercus stellata is an oak in the white oak group. It is a small tree, typically 10-15m tall and 30-60cm trunk diameter, though occasional specimens reach 30m tall and 140cm diameter. It is native to the eastern United States, from Massachusetts in the northeast, west to southern Iowa, southwest to central Texas, and southeast to northern Florida. It is one of the commonest oaks in the southern part of the eastern prairies.

The leaves of this species have a very distinctive shape, the with three perpendicular terminal lobes, shaped much like a Maltese Cross. The leaves are leathery, and tomentose (densely short-hairy) beneath. The branching pattern of this tree often gives it a rugged appearance. The acorns are 1.5-2cm long, and are mature in their first summer.

"Post" oak refers to the use of the wood of this tree for fence posts. Its wood, like that of the other white oaks, is hard, tough and rot-resistant. This tree tends to be smaller than most other members of the group, with lower, more diffuse branching, largely reflecting its tendency to grow in the open on poor sites, so its wood is of relatively low value as sawn lumber.