Swamp Chestnut Oak
Quercus michauxii
Have you ever enthusiastically collected acorns as a kid (or adult) and been disappointed to discover they must be boiled for hours before consumption? I know I have. The acorns of this wet-loving, full-sun, medium to large deciduous oak tree are not only edible without preparation, they’re sweet and delicious. However, these acorns are only bestowed upon the patient; it can take up to 20 years for the tree to mature enough to produce them. While you wait, enjoy its stately form, glossy foliage, and sensational rusty red fall color. A perfect shade tree for a wet site.
Conditions: Full sun; acidic, sandy soils with good drainage; moist or wet soils, can tolerate occasional flooding
Size: 40′ – 60′ height, 30′ – 50′ spread
Zone: 5 – 9
Wildlife Value: Larval host for White M-Hairstreak, Gray Hairstreak, and Duskywing Butterfly; acorns eaten by many mammals, including chipmunks, squirrels, deer, wild turkey, foxes, waterfowl, and black bears