Quercus montana (Chestnut Oak) Unity Grown

Quercus montana (syn. Quercus prinus), commonly called chestnut oak, is a member of the informal chestnut oak group, so-named for the resemblance of their leaves and bark to those of chestnut trees (genus Castanea) rather than the toothy-lobed leaves and wide-wrinkled bark of typical oaks. Chestnut oak grows to a large height of 50-70' tall in the yard or home garden setting, but may reach heights of nearly 150' in the wild! As an oak tree, Quercus montana also produces acorns that are larger and rounder in appearance than other species, with caps that may cover up to a third of the acorn.

Chestnut oak is typically planted for shade or ornamental purposes, but also fit perfectly in naturalization projects. Reaching larger heights and living to old age, Quercus montana is a popular park tree, and its large, dense canopy makes for a great shade selection until it turns to fall colors of coppery brown, reds, and yellows, adding multi-season interest. Chestnut oak acorns are ecologically valuable to deer, mice, and a number of other mammals, as well as songbirds, and game birds like ruffed grouse and wild turkey. In addition to acorn value, many oak species are regarded as important keystone plants for their support of larval butterflies and moths, and Quercus montana is no different; chestnut oak is a host to the caterpillars of several species of duskywing moth and hairstreak butterfly.