Quercus marilandica (Black-Jack Oak)

A genuine specialist for the toughest sites in the catalog, blackjack oak's confirmed high drought tolerance and tolerance of severely degraded soils make it a proven choice for reclamation work where more valuable timber oaks simply won't establish.

Species Overview

Quercus marilandica, or blackjack oak, is a small, rugged deciduous tree native to the southeastern United States, typically reaching 20 to 50 feet with a short trunk and densely contorted, dark, nearly black branches. It thrives in dry, sandy, or rocky, poor soils where few other trees can establish, with thick, leathery, three- to five-lobed leaves that are dark green above and rusty beneath.

Application

• Reclamation plantings on poor, degraded, or nutrient-depleted soils
• Dry, sandy, or rocky upland restoration
• Oak savanna and scrub habitat component plantings
• Wildlife cover and food source on challenging sites

Growing Conditions / Specification Data

• Light: Full Sun
• Soil/Moisture Tolerance: Average to dry, well-drained, acidic soils; sandy, rocky, or clay; tolerates severely degraded soils
• Drought Tolerance: High
• Flood Tolerance: Low - A dry, poor-soil oak; not documented as flood tolerant.
• Plant Type: Tree
• Mature Height: 25-50 ft.
• Fall Color: Red, Yellow
• Wetland Indicator Status: NI (No Indicator) - see flags
• Native Range: Northeast/Mid-Atlantic (full list) - at the northern edge of its range in this region
• Pollinator Value: Keystone species - though the wind-pollinated flowers hold no nectar value, oaks as a genus are among the most important keystone plants for supporting caterpillar and moth diversity, feeding the food web that songbirds depend on.
• Hydrology: Dry-Mesic
• Root Depth: Deep (24-36 in.)
• Salinity Tolerance: Low
• Growth Rate: Slow
• Deer Resistance: Some
• Shade Tolerance: Intolerant
• Growth Habit: Rounded
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-9

Planting Guidance

• Slow-growing but long-lived (up to 200 years); rarely used ornamentally but valuable in naturalized or woodland restoration settings on the poorest available soils.