Why plant Audubon® Native Chestnut Oak Treeling?
A beautiful, bountiful shade tree that pleases people and wildlife alike! You’ll love Chestnut Oak for its glossy, wavy-edged leaves; its rugged, widely furrowed bark; and its elegant, upright form. Squirrels, Jays, and Woodpeckers will love it for its large, sweet acorns. (Unlike other acorns, they are sweet enough for even humans to eat right off the tree!) Birds will also enjoy the wealth of insect food they’ll find in Chestnut Oak’s canopy—a diverse array of caterpillars, leafhoppers, aphids, beetles, and plant bugs that nourish native songbirds and their chicks. A very fine landscape tree and wildlife café.
Chestnut Oak is a mountain-dwelling tree, a tough, durable, drought-tolerant denizen of the Appalachians and its foothills. It grows on rocky soil (another name for it is “Rock Oak”), from southern Maine to Georgia; its range also extends into the neighboring states. Older specimens are instantly recognizable by their striking, deeply furrowed, dark-colored bark. Because their leaves are so similar, Chestnut Oak is often confused with Swamp Chestnut Oak, but there are distinctions. Swamp Chestnut Oak has light-colored bark, and it prefers wetter habitats. Also, Chestnut Oak is a smaller-growing tree.
How to use Audubon® Native Chestnut Oak Treeling in the landscape?
Chestnut Oak thrives in challenging conditions—even on the mean streets of the city! The Society of Municipal Arborists named Chestnut Oak its “Urban Tree of the Year” in 2017 for its ability to show grace under pressure.
Planting Zones
Hardiness Zone: 4-8
How To Plant Audubon® Native Chestnut Oak Treeling
Plant your Chestnut Oak in an area where it will have lots of elbow room and will receive full sun all day. It is not fussy about soil and will be quite drought tolerant once it’s established. The fungal disease Oak Wilt can strike when Oaks are pruned during active growth.
How To Water
Water twice weekly for the first 3-5 weeks; then water weekly for the remainder of the year until winter. When you water, water slowly and thoroughly. Watering needs may be altered due to extreme weather conditions.
How To Fertilize
Incorporate Elements Starter Plant Food granular form into the soil when planting. If planting in spring or summer, start fertilizing late fall using Elements Starter Plant Food granular form on an annual basis each fall. Continue this for the first three years to get your plant well established as it gives your tree the nutrients it needs to produce lush new growth for the following spring.
How To Prune
Little pruning will be necessary, but if you must prune, do so only between December and February.