Common Name: Mongolian oak
Type: Tree
Family: Fagaceae
Native Range: Eastern Asia, Japan
Zone: 5 to 8
Height: 30.00 to 60.00 feet
Spread: 25.00 to 55.00 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Description: Yellow green (male) Reddish (female)
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Shade Tree, Street Tree
Flower: Insignificant
Leaf: Good Fall
Fruit: Showy
Tolerate: Drought, Clay Soil, Dry Soil
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 loams. Tolerates some part shade but not full shade.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Quercus mongolica, commonly called Mongolian oak, is a medium to large deciduous tree with an open crown that typically grows to 30-60’ tall, but sometimes soars to 90’ tall. It is native to forested areas in Japan, southern Kariles, Sakhalin, Manchuria, central and northern China, Korea, eastern Mongolia and eastern Russia (Siberia). Tapered obovate to obovate-oblong leaves (to 4-8” long) with 7-10 broad coarse teeth on each side, pointed apices, and ariculate bases (two tiny ear-like lobes) are borne in dense clusters at the branch ends. Leaves are glabrous and dark green above but lighter green below with pubescent veins. Rose fall color. Ornamentally insignificant monoecious flowers (reddish females in clusters and yellowish-green males in dangling catkins) bloom in May-June. Female flowers are followed by small ovoid acorns (each to 7/8” long). Each acorn is enclosed within a scaly, thick-walled cup which covers about 1/3 to 1/2 of the acorn. Acorns ripen in September-October.
Var. grosseserrata is primarily found growing in Japan, the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. It is distinguished from the straight species by later emergence of new leaves in spring (less susceptible to damage from late frosts), leaves often narrower and more acute, increased number of veins per leaf (11-16 pairs) and faster growth. Red to golden brown fall color is usually more ornamental than the fall color of the straight species. Some authorities consider Q. mongolica var. grosseserrata to be a synonym of Q. mongolica subsp. crispula.
Genus name comes from the classical Latin name for oak trees.
Specific epithet is in reference to the native range of this oak in Mongolia where the tree is now, in reality, quite scarce.
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.