Black Oak

Quercus velutina

Physical Characteristics

Quercus velutina is a deciduous Tree growing to 30 m (98ft) by 25 m (82ft) at a medium rate. It is frost tender. It is in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen in October. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Distribution

Eastern N. America - Maine to Ontario, Minnesota, Florida and Texas.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seed Edible Uses: Coffee Seed - cooked[105, 159, 161, 257]. The seed is up to 25mm long and wide[227]. It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread. The seed contains bitter tannins, these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost. Either the whole seed can be used or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder. It can take several days or even weeks to properly leach whole seeds, one method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can tell when the tannin has been leached. The traditional method of preparing the seed was to bury it in boggy ground overwinter. The germinating seed was dug up in the spring when it would have lost most of its astringency. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute.

Medicinal Uses

Antiaphonic Astringent Disinfectant Dysentery Emetic Febrifuge Ophthalmic Salve Tonic The inner bark contains quercitannic acid and is used medicinally, mainly as a mild astringent[227]. It is inferior to the bark of white oaks because it contains large amounts of tannin[227]. The bark is astringent, disinfectant, emetic, febrifuge and tonic[257]. It is used in the treatment of chronic dysentery, intermittent fevers, indigestion, asthma and lost voice[257]. An infusion has been used as a gargle for sore throats, hoarseness colds etc[257]. The bark can be chewed as a treatment for mouth sores[257]. An infusion of the bark has been used as a wash for sore and chapped skin[257]. A decoction of the crushed bark has been used as a wash for sore eyes[257]. Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc[4].

Known Hazards

None known