Cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda) grows in the southern United States and is considered to be one of the best-quality lumber-producing trees on the planet. It’s strong, dense wood with a straight form, making it an excellent choice for building houses. It’s a hardy, fast-growing species. It has tiered leaves that are somewhat reminiscent of a pagoda—hence its Latin name.
| Common name | Cherry Bark Oak, Cherrybark Oak, Oaks |
| Botanical name | Quercus pagoda |
| Family | Fagaceae |
| Species | pagoda |
| Origin | Eastern Central & South East U.S.A |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Plant type | Native Plant |
| Hardiness zone | 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| Sunlight | Full Sun |
| Maintenance | Medium |
| Soil condition | Loam |
| Soil ph | Acid |
| Drainage | Well-Drained |
| Growth rate | Fast |
| Spacing | 24 – 60 ft. |
| Harvest time | Fall |
| Flowering period | Spring |
| Height | 9- 130 ft. |
| Width | 9- 130 ft. |
| Flower color | Gold, Yellow |
| Leaf color | Green |
| Fruit color | Brown, Copper |
| Stem color | Brown, Copper |
| Fruit type | Nut |
| Garden style | Butterfly Garden |
| Uses | Lawn |
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Quercus pagoda, the cherrybark oak, is one of the most highly valued red oaks in the southern United States. It is larger and better formed than southern red oak and commonly grows on more moist sites. Cherrybark oak was formerly considered to be a subspecies of southern red oak, Quercus falcata, subsp pagodifolia.
Cherrybark oak has a disjunct (discontinuous) distribution. It is common in the Carolinas and in the lower Mississippi Valley but rare in Georgia and Florida in between. There are also scattered, outlying populations as far north as New Jersey and as far west as Texas and Oklahoma.
Cherrybark oak very often grows on the best loamy sites on first bottom ridges, well-drained terraces, and colluvial sites.
Size: Cherrybark oaks often attain heights of 30 to 40 meters (100 to 130 feet) and trunk diameters of 91 to 152 centimeters (36 to 60 inches), making it among the largest of the red oaks in the South. It is one of the hardiest and fastest growing oaks. It grows well on more sites than any other bottomland oaks except perhaps willow and water oaks. Diameter growth typically ranges from 7.6 to 15.2 cm (3 to 6 in) per decade.
Bark: The name ‘cherrybark’ comes from its similarity to the bark of black cherry. The bark is gray and has scaly, narrow ridges.
Foliage: The name pagoda refers to the tiered shape of cherrybark’s leaves, which are reminiscent of the shape of a pagoda. Its simple, alternate leaves generally have V-shaped bases, deeply incised lobes (5 to 11), and short, broad, uncurved tips. The species is unusual in that the lobes are not necessarily paired on opposite sides of the leaf, instead appearing alternate or sometimes haphazard in arrangement. The leaves are 18 to 25 cm (7 to 10 in) long and up to 18 cm wide. Leaves are dark green, smooth, and shiny on the surface; undersides are paler and pubescent.
Twigs: The twigs are thick and brown or gray, hairy when young. The buds are egg-shaped with a pointed tip, angular, and hairy. In some regions, the twigs commonly bear galls.
Flowers: Cherrybark oak is monoecious; staminate and pistillate catkins are borne separately on the same tree. Catkins are borne on stalks from leaf axils of the current growth. Flowers appear from February to May, depending on latitude.
Acorns: The acorn is about 1.5 cm (1⁄2 in) long, globular or hemispheric, with up to one-third of its length enclosed in a shallow thin cap. Acorns per pound range from 200 to 750. Acorns mature from August to November of the second year. Trees begin bearing acorns when they are about 25 years old, and optimum production is reached when they are between 50 and 75 years of age. Good acorn crops are frequent, occurring at 1- or 2-year intervals, with light crops in intervening years. Acorns are dormant and do not germinate until the following spring. Germination is hypogeal.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Cherrybark Oaks thrive in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. They perform best in open areas where they can receive direct sunlight for most of the day.
Temperature
Cherrybark oak grows in a large range of temperatures. It is adaptable in hardiness zones 5-9.It prefers well drained soil with adequate ventilation in the tree canopy. Cherrybark oak will not do well in standing water. Also, leaf molds pose serious threats if the leaves cannot dry out in the wind. So make sure they are not stuck against buildings where rainwater may drain.
Watering
Keep soil moist but well drained. Oaks form a taproot and will draw moisture up from below. So make sure there is humid soil if you dig down a few inches, but do not flood the topsoil. Reducing summer water use will make cherrybark oak more healthy, they tolerate summer dry spells very well.
Soil
Ideal soils are well-drained loam, sandy-loam, or sandy-clay soils. Some alluvial fan areas and silts harbor good oaks stands. The key in all of these is that the soil is well-drained. Standing water cannot be tolerated by oaks.
Fertilizing
Cherrybark oak can survive and thrive without supplemental fertilization. But if you wish to give them extra nutrients you can add some of 12-6-6 (N-P-K) fertilizer. This has more of a ratio of nitrogen than phosphorus and potassium. Also, consider the natural environment of oaks. They grow where there is lots of forest litter. This forest litter acts as natural mulch that breaks down into organic matter and humus. So one way to give some natural nutrition is to spread mulch by your oak trees. They will love the extra organic matter.
Planting Instructions
It may take a very long time if you want to get a mature oak tree from an acorn. But with patience, planting a small tree is still fun. Be sure to kill weevil larvae by soaking the acorns in 41 ℃ water for 30 minutes, stratify in moist sand in the refrigerator (not freezer), and plant in the springtime.
Pruning
Branches should be pruned to avoid moist pockets or where heavy branches may fall on people or buildings. Avoid having branches that grow with leaves tight together or pressed against buildings. If rain collects in these pockets then molds and fungi can attack. Cherrybark oak love having their leaves dry out in a well ventilated breeze.
To ensure that no danger occurs from the brittle hardwood branches, make sure that heavy branches do not hang over walking paths or outbuildings. Also, do not let children play near oaks in a thunderstorm as they are susceptible to falling branches and lightning strikes.
Propagation
Propagation of Quercus pagoda is typically done through seed (acorns). The acorns should be collected when ripe and planted immediately or stratified and sown in the spring.
Pests and Diseases
Cherrybark Oaks may be susceptible to pests such as the oak wilt fungus (Bretziella fagacearum) and certain insects like the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) and the oak borer (family Buprestidae). These pests can cause defoliation, branch dieback, and, in severe cases, tree death. Management includes maintaining tree health to improve resistance, using insecticides when appropriate, and removing infected material to prevent the spread of disease.
Health & Safety
There are no known toxic or poisonous parts of the Cherrybark Oak to humans, dogs, or cats. The tree does not have thorns or spines, and contact with its foliage does not cause dermatitis.
III. Uses and Benefits
Many wildlife species use its acorns as food, and cherrybark oak makes a fine shade tree.
Cherrybark oak usually has a relatively branch-free merchantable bole in contrast with other bottomland red oaks such as water and willow oak. Because of its good form and quality, cherrybark is regarded as one of the best red oaks. The wood is heavy, hard, and coarse grained. It is used for interior finishing, veneer, general construction, furniture, and cabinets. The color is light reddish brown.
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