Quercus aliena, the Oriental White Oak, is a deciduous tree in the family Fagaceae

Fagaceae

The family Fagaceae, or beech family, comprises about 900 species of both evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, which are characterized by alternate simple leaves with pinnate venation, unisexual flowers in the form of catkins, and fruit in the form of cup-like nuts. Fagaceous leaves are often...

 and the subfamily Fagoideae

Faboideae

Faboideae is a subfamily of the flowering plant family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. One acceptable alternative name for the subfamily is Papilionoideae....

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Description

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. 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. Flowers monecious. A long-lived tree, it is slow-growing.

Grows in full sun or partial shade and tolerates strong winds. 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. Will hybridize with other plants in Quercus

Native range

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.

Common names

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.

Uses

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.

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.