Photo: Choess, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Dwarf Chinquapin Oak
Quercus prinoides
Also called dwarf chinkapin oak, scrub chestnut oak.
A true shrub oak that starts dropping sweet, low-tannin acorns within a few years of planting.
RareWildlife valueDrought tolerantBears youngEdible
- Type
- Shrub
- Mature height
- 6–15 ft
- USDA zones
- 4–8
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Sun
- Full · Part
- Soil moisture
- Dry · Average
210
Native from New England and the Great Lakes south to the Carolinas and Oklahoma, dwarf chinquapin oak grows on dry sandy or rocky ground where bigger oaks struggle. It suckers into low colonies, bears acorns at three to five years old, and its acorns are among the least bitter of any eastern oak, so deer, turkey and squirrels strip them fast. Ideal for small yards, wildlife plantings and dry slopes.
Heights and zones are typical ranges for the species in cultivation; local conditions and seed source shift them. Estimate growth for this species →
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