Common Name: oriental white oak
Type: Tree
Family: Fagaceae
Native Range: Japan, Korea
Zone: 5 to 8
Height: 40.00 to 80.00 feet
Spread: 40.00 to 80.00 feet
Bloom Time: April to May
Bloom Description: Yellowish-green
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Shade Tree, Street Tree
Flower: Insignificant
Leaf: Good Fall
Fruit: Showy
Tolerate: Black Walnut
Culture
Winter hardy to USDA Zones 5-8 where it is best grown in rich, moist, well-drained loams in full sun. Grows well in sandy soils. Tolerates some part shade but not full shade. Unlike many other types of oaks, this species tolerates alkaline soils.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Quercus aliena, commonly called oriental white oak, is a medium to large deciduous oak with a spreading crown that typically grows to 40-80' tall. Elliptic-obovate to obovate, regularly lobed, coarsely-toothed, conspicuously-ribbed, shiny dark green leaves (to 4-8" long) adorn this member of the white oak group which is native to mixed forest areas in Japan, Korea and central China. Leaves are grayish-white and pubescent beneath. Leaves turn yellow in fall. Attractive furrowed gray bark. Ornamentally insignificant monoecious flowers bloom in April-May. Female flowers are followed by acorns (each to 1" long) which ripen in September-October. An acorn cup (cupule) covers about 1/3 of each acorn.
Genus name comes from the classical Latin name for oak trees.
Specific epithet means foreign.
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
Shade tree. Woodland gardens.