Culture
Winter hardy to USDA Zones 5-10 where this shrub/tree is best grown in rich, moist, well-drained loams in full sun to part shade.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Quercus pontica, commonly called Armenian oak or pontine oak, is a slow-growing, deciduous shrub or small tree in the White Oak group that typically matures to 20’ (infrequently to 33’) tall. It usually grows in a shrubby form in the wild. It is native to northeastern Turkey, Armenia and the Caucasus Mountains.
Ovate to broad elliptic, alternate, medium green leaves (to 10” long) have acute apices, attenuate bases, showy yellow midribs and leaf stalks, prominent parallel veins and dentate teeth. Each leaf vein (up to 17 pairs per leaf) ends in a small pointed tooth at the leaf margin. Leaves turn yellow in fall. Monoecious flowers (females in small insignificant clusters and males in somewhat showy olive-yellow catkins dangling to 8” long) bloom in late April-May. Flowers are followed by acorns (to 1 3/4” long) which most often appear at the shoot tips in clusters of 2-5 and ripen in September-October. Each acorn is enclosed in a scaly cup enclosing about 1/2 of the acorn. Shallowly fissured gray to brown bark.
Genus name comes from the classical Latin name for oak trees.
Specific epithet comes from Pontus which is an ancient Greek name given to the region on the southern shores of the Black Sea which is today part of northeastern Turkey.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Oaks in general are susceptible to a large number of diseases, including oak wilt, chestnut blight, shoestring root rot, anthracnose, oak leaf blister, cankers, leaf spots and powdery mildew. Potential insect pests include scale, oak skeletonizer, leaf miner, galls, oak lace bugs, borers, caterpillars and nut weevils.
Uses
Small tree for sunny areas of the landscape. Specimen shrub or large hedge.