Q. prinus - Chestnut Oak - אלון ערמוני

Oak, Chestnut ( Quercus prinus ) A huge exceptionally drought tolorant deciduous Oak native to Eastern North America - the Chestnut Oak can reach truly massive dimensions of up to 145 feet tall and 95 feet wide. Some such trees in the original old growth Eastern hardwood forest reached trunk diameters up to 9 feet though most trees were much smaller as the hardy Chestnut Oak often grew on some of the harshest of sites where few other trees would grow.

Generally the Chestnut Oak grows with a striaght trunk that splits off into a dome made of large spreading branches. The large oblong leaves grow to 12 x 5 inches at most and are shiny dark green above and paler below. They often turn an attractive orange-red in fall and remain late on the trees.

The bark is gray and deeply fissured and is often an ornamental feature in itself. An important source of timber and tannin - the Chestnut Oak is a fast growing tree once fully established. Though it only reaches 10 inches in its first year while establishing a deep taproot; this tree will soon speed up and is known to grow as tall as 25 feet in 7 years and 40 feet in 20 years. It is known to live almost to 430 years in age. Not well known in Europe where the similar Quercus castaneifolia grows however on in England reaches 66 feet in height

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