Oak, Black, Bare Root

Black Oak (Quercus velutina)

An upland red-group oak for well-drained, often acidic ground. It belongs in a roomy woodland restoration or dry-site canopy planting.

Key Characteristics

Choose an upland position

Use it where water drains away rather than in a persistently saturated basin. Its eventual broad crown needs more space than the seedling suggests.

Leaves feed a different food chain

Oak foliage supports caterpillars such as imperial moth and hairstreak larvae; insect-eating birds use this living food supply. Retain some leaf litter and healthy leaf feeding beneath a habitat tree.

Acorns take a compatible planting

Red-group oaks generally take two growing seasons to mature acorns. Plant several genetically different trees of the same species with overlapping pollen release for a more dependable mast planting.

Product Details

• Native range: Eastern and central North America
• Life cycle: Deciduous woody perennial tree
• Sun: Full Sun; Part Sun/Shade
• Soil moisture: Dry; Medium-Dry; Medium
• Mature height: 50–100 feet; varies with seedling and site
• Bloom time: April–May
• Bloom color: Green, Yellow
• USDA hardiness zones: 3–9
• Fruit or seed: Acorns for wildlife; crops and bearing age vary among seedlings. Human food use requires correct identification and thorough tannin removal.
• Pollination: Wind-pollinated; plant several genetically distinct trees of the same species or hybrid type for a better chance of overlapping pollen and acorn production.

Planting and Ongoing Care

Keep bare roots moist until planting and spread roots without bending them into a tight hole. Water during establishment, mulch clear of the trunk, and protect young trees from browsing and mowing damage. Base feeding on a soil test; our Tree Planting Kit fertilizer blend can be used according to its label when needed.

Protect young trunks and roots from browsing, mowing, and compaction. Follow regional pruning guidance where oak wilt occurs; retain harmless galls and caterpillar feeding when practical. Avoid insecticides on open flowers. These are seedlings rather than selected clones, so growth, flowering, and fruiting vary.