FNPS Plant Database

Quercus michauxii

basket oak, swamp chestnut oak, cow oak
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

basket oak, swamp chestnut oak, cow oak

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Quercus michauxii

Family:

Fagaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

tree

Size:

to 120 ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

Deciduous. Blooms in spring (inconspicuous). Acorns mature in the fall.

Noted For:

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Shade tree. While native to moist sites, this oak does well in moderately dry areas as well. Makes a good street tree and can be used in parking lot islands. Bronzy fall color.

Considerations:

Fallen/falling acorns can be a maintenance issue.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Seed

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Short very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

Acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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No county distribution is available for this plant yet.
Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Caterpillars, Birds, Mammals

Larval food for brown duskywing butterfly ( Erynnis horatius ), gray hairstreak ( Strymon melinus ), and white-M hairstreak (P arrhasius m-albu m).

Acorns prized by squirrels, deer, turkey and other wildlife.

Native Habitats:

Mesic sites near swamp edges and second bottoms of floodplains. May occur in uplands on shallow soils over limestone.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Burns, Russell M., and Barbara H. Honkala [Technical coordinators]. (1990). Silvics of North America: Volume 2. Hardwoods. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook 654. ( https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/1548 ). Accessed 2026.


Edwards, M.B. (Undated). Quercus michauxii. ( https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/quercus/michauxii.htm ). Accessed 2026. Southern Research Service, U.S. Forest Service, Dept. of Agriculture.


Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell. (1999). Native Florida Plants. Gulf Publishing Company. Houston, TX.


Huegel, Craig N. (2010). Native Plant Landscaping for Florida Wildlife. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Minno, Marc, and Maria Minno. (1999). Florida Butterfly Gardening: A Complete Guide to Attracting, Identifying, and Enjoying Butterflies. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Ruter, John M., and Bodie V. Pennisi. (2017). Selecting Salt-Tolerant Native Trees for the Georgia Coast (Bulletin B-1477). ( https://fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/publications/B1477/selecting-salt-tolerant-native-trees-for-the-georgia-coast/ ). Accessed 2026. College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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