Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica)

Features and 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.

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.