| Oriental White Oak | |
|---|---|
| Quercus aliena | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fagales |
| Family: | Fagaceae |
| Genus: | Quercus |
| Species: | Q. aliena |
| Binomial name | |
| Quercus aliena Blume [1] |
|
Quercus aliena, the Oriental White Oak, is a deciduous tree in the family Fagaceae and the subfamily Fagoideae.[2]
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Oriental white oak grows to 30 m (95 feet) and spreads to 10 m (30 feet). The taproot is deep, making older plants difficult to move.[3] Leaves obovate to oblong, 4 to 10 inches long and 1 ½ to 5 ½ inches wide, with 9 to 15 lobes on each side.[4] Flowers monecious. A long-lived tree, it is slow-growing.[3]
Grows in full sun or partial shade and tolerates strong winds.[3] It can grow in almost any type of soil as long as not waterlogged. Hardy in temperatures as low as -20°F to 30 °F.[5] Will hybridize with other plants in Quercus
Native to Korea, Japan, and China, Quercus aliena is found in provinces Anhui, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Zhejiang.
Oriental white oak was introduced to Europe in 1908.[6]
In China it is called ru chi, hu li, or hi li. Quercus Aliena var. acuteserrta is referred to as ru chi hu li. Variation Aliena is referred to as hi li. In Japan it is called Naragashiwa.[7]
Oriental White Oak has a multitude of uses. The wood from the trunk of the Oriental White Oak in Eastern Asia was used for boat building and is now used as wood flooring for houses. It is used as a repellent plant to keep away deer. The mulch from the oak can be used as a repellent of slugs, grubs and other similar species of gastropods and insects. The seeds can be crushed into a powder and used as a soup thickener and for mixing into cereals and breads. Those same seeds when roasted can also be used as a substitute for coffee.[8]
The Oriental White Oak has medicinal uses as well. The galls (abnormal swelling of plant tissue) of the oak tree are caused by the larvae of different insects. The insects live inside the galls and when the pupate leaves the gall becomes a rich source of tannin. The tannin can be used in the treatment of hemorrhages, chronic diarrhea, dysentery, etc.[8]