CHESTNUT OAK (Quercus montana):
Height: 40 to 70 feet
Spread: 40 to 70 feet
Bloom Time: April
Bloom Description: Yellowish green
Sun: Full sun
Suggested Use: Shade Tree, Street Tree
Flower: Insignificant
Tolerate: Dry soils, poor soils
Fall Color: Copper to Brown
Native to:Jefferson County
The Chestnut Oak’s name derives from the leaf shape which closely resembles the leaf of the chestnut the tree is part of the white oak family and is a good shade tree. Chestnut Oaks can tolerate very dry and poor soils and can be used to reclaim strip mine lands.
Native to Jefferson County the tree is most often found in the crags and rocks of the hills of Jefferson County. The tree was noted for its wood and harvested greatly for many generations. Less common than other oaks in the area, the tree is an excellent source of food for wild turkey, deer, and squirrels. An old hunter once exclaimed that when times were desperate to sit under the shade of this tree and the game will come to you.
The Shingle Oak hosts 447 species of butterflies and moths in Jefferson County including the Oak leaf roller and the Red Spotted Admiral. Chestnut Oak provides habitat and food for a wide variety of birds. Over 20 genera of birds depend on the species.
