Scientific Name
Quercus lyrata ‘Overcup Oak’
Another member of the white oak group, this species has been largely overlooked until the past decade and is still seldom seen along the Front Range. Its native range is centered in the southeastern United States, with extensions as far north as Delaware and southern Illinois. Despite that distribution, it has proven to be cold hardy here and in similar climates. It also shows better tolerance of heat, drought and poor soils than many eastern oaks. In its native habitat, it often grows in bottomlands, so it is well adapted to periodic flooding or wet conditions.
Overcup oak can be expected to reach about 40 feet in height and has a structure similar to white oak. The leaves also resemble those of white oak, with rounded lobes, but they are fewer in number and somewhat more pointed, giving the leaf a narrower look than white, bur or swamp white oak. The leaves are sometimes described as lyre-shaped, though the resemblance can be hard to see.
The common name is more descriptive. The acorns are rounded and enclosed by a cap that covers three-quarters or more of the nut, similar to bur oak but without the fringe. These acorns provide food for squirrels and other wildlife, which help disperse them. In floodplain settings, the acorns can also float, aiding in their spread.
Fall color is typically an attractive yellow-brown.