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Blackjack Oak

Quercus marilandica

Blackjack oak is a small, rugged oak that colonizes the poorest dry clay and sand, with distinctive broad, bell-shaped leaves and blackish bark. Exceptionally drought-tough and a reliable wildlife oak on hardpan soils.

Family
Fagaceae
Type
tree
Lifespan
perennial
Height
20–40 ft
Spacing
20–30 ft apart
Light
sun
Soil moisture
dry
Soil pH
acidic
Bloom
April, May
Bloom colors
yellow, green, brown
Wildlife value
songbirds, mammals, larval host
Caterpillar hosts
~557 butterfly & moth species
Landscape uses
specimen
Native states
AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV