Tree Description
Overcup oaks are large trees growing to 90 feet and having buttressed trunks to 3 feet in diameter. They have many small, crooked, or drooping branches that form an open, irregular crown.
Range / Site Description
These trees occur in forested wetlands in East Texas extending west to the Navasota River valley. They grow along streambanks and in poorly drained bottomlands.
Leaf
The leaves are simple and alternate, 4” to 6” long and 1” to 3” wide, very narrow at the base and wider toward the tip, with 5-9 lobes that are pointed but not bristle-tipped. The leaf color is dark green and somewhat glossy above and whitish below; it frequently turns deep scarlet or orange in the fall.
Flower & Fruit
Separate male and female flowers occur on the same tree. Male flowers are borne on a catkin 3” to 6” long, and inconspicuous female flowers are borne on a long, pubescent stalk.
The fruit is an acorn, rounded or somewhat flattened, about ½” to 1” long and about 1” wide, nearly covered by a spherical cap that is thickened at the base but gradually grows thinner and often splits toward the tip.
Interesting Facts
A natural hybrid between overcup oak and live oak is called Compton’s oak (Quercus x comptoniae) and has been sold in the nursery trade in southeast Texas and Louisiana.
Species Summary
| Scientific Name: | Quercus lyrata |
| Secondary Names: | Swamp Post Oak |
| Tree Type: | Deciduous |
| Dimensions: | Height: 90 feet Trunk Diameter: 3 feet |
| Leaf Structure: | Simple, alternate |
| Leaf Size: | 4-6 inches long and 1-3 inches wide |
| Leaf Shape: | Lyrate |
| Leaf Margin: | Lobed |
| Additional Information: | iNaturalist – Overcup Oak |
Source: Texas A&M Forest Service Trees of Texas – Overcup Oak