OVERCUP OAK

4694 Johnson Ave.

Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata)

Quercus lyrata, the overcup oak, is an oak in the white oak group. It is native to lowland wetlands in the eastern and south-central United States, in all the coastal states from New Jersey to Texas, inland as far as Oklahoma, Missouri, and Illinois. Quercus lyrata is a medium-sized deciduous tree, growing to 66 feet tall, with a trunk up to 31 inches in diameter, or rarely to 55 inches. The common name comes from the acorns being enclosed in a cup; the scientific name comes from the lyrate (lyre-shaped) leaves. The overcup oak’s wood is valuable, similar to that of other white oaks.