Plant Details

Quercus petraea

Sessile oak

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Common names

41 names · 31 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (30)
Dutch
French
  • Chêne rouvre[1]
  • Chêne sessile[1]
Afrikaans
Albanian
Armenian
  • Կաղնի ոսկեգույն[1]
Basque
  • Haritz kandugabea[1]
Catalan
  • Roure de fulla gran[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 岩生栎[1]
  • 无梗花栎[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 岩生櫟[1]
  • 無梗花櫟[1]
Croatian
  • Hrast kitnjak[1]
Czech
  • dub zimní[1]
Danish
Finnish
  • talvitammi[1]
German
  • Trauben-Eiche[1]
  • Traubeneiche[1]
  • Wintereiche[1]
Hungarian
  • kocsánytalan tölgy[1]
  • kocsánytalan tölgyek[1]
  • valódi kocsánytalan tölgy[1]
Irish
  • Dair ghaelach[1]
Italian
Lithuanian
  • Bekotis ąžuolas[1]
Macedonian
  • горун[1]
  • даб горун[1]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Dąb bezszypułkowy[1]
Romanian
Russian
  • Дуб скальный[1]
Serbian
  • Храст китњак[1]
Slovak
  • dub zimný[1]
Slovenian
Spanish
  • Roble albar[1]
Swedish
Turkish
  • Sapsız Meşe[1]
Ukrainian
  • Дуб скельний[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Quercus petraea — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • sessile oak — results[1].names[1]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Chêne sessile — results[1].names[2]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • dub zimní — results[1].names[3]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Bergek — results[1].names[4]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Vinter-eg — results[1].names[5]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Wintereik — results[1].names[6]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • vintereik — results[1].names[7]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Дуб скальный — results[1].names[8]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • talvitammi — results[1].names[9]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Dąb bezszypułkowy — results[1].names[10]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Bekotis ąžuolas — results[1].names[11]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Roure de fulla gran — results[1].names[12]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Rovere — results[1].names[13]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Chêne rouvre — results[1].names[14]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • 無梗花櫟 — results[1].names[15]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • 岩生櫟 — results[1].names[16]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • 无梗花栎 — results[1].names[17]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • 岩生栎 — results[1].names[18]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Haritz kandugabea — results[1].names[19]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Կաղնի ոսկեգույն — results[1].names[20]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • dub zimný — results[1].names[21]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Дуб скельний — results[1].names[22]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • graden — results[1].names[23]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • горун — results[1].names[24]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • даб горун — results[1].names[25]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Gorun — results[1].names[26]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • kocsánytalan tölgy — results[1].names[27]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Hrast kitnjak — results[1].names[28]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • bung — results[1].names[29]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • kocsánytalan tölgyek — results[1].names[30]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • valódi kocsánytalan tölgy — results[1].names[31]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Dair ghaelach — results[1].names[32]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Sapsız Meşe — results[1].names[33]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Irish oak — results[1].names[34]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Cornish oak — results[1].names[35]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Roble albar — results[1].names[36]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Храст китњак — results[1].names[37]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Traubeneiche — results[1].names[38]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • wintereik — results[1].names[39]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Wintereiche — results[1].names[40]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.
  • Trauben-Eiche — results[1].names[41]; taxon id 200942; Quercus petraea.

General information

Scientific name: Quercus petraea
Accepted name (Kew): Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Fagaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Quercus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Sessile oak
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Nut tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 18.29–24.38 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 18.29–24.38 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Moderate
Sources [3]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Rounded

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]
Life cycle: Perennial
Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, Loam (Silt)
Sources [3]
pH:
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Condiment, Tea
Edibility rating:
(2)
Medicinal rating:
(3)
Functions:
Basketry, Charcoal, Gum, Repellent, Wood, Bee forage

Description

Cooked seeds can be dried and ground into a powder, which can be used as a thickening agent in stews or mixed with grain to make bread. The seeds contain bitter tannins, which can be removed by thoroughly washing the seeds in running water, although this can also wash away many minerals. The whole seeds can be used or dried and ground into powder. To properly leach the seeds, they can be soaked for several days to weeks, with one method being to pack them in a cloth bag and place it in a stream to speed up the process. A simple taste test can indicate when the tannins have been washed out. Traditionally, the seeds were buried in moist soil to overwinter, and in the spring, the germinating seeds were dug up. By that time, most of the astringent properties would have been lost. Roasted seeds can serve as a coffee substitute.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/10
Harvest ends: 30/11

Crown

Crown shape: Broad and rounded
Sources [3]
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 152857; name ID 171386; Quercus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1088682; name ID 174374; Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Quercus petraea

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 1106712, ID 4R5SK: Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Quercus petraea — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: Crown shapeHeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Crown shape: Description: crown architecture
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .