About Quercus georgiana M.A.Curtis
Quercus georgiana, commonly called Georgia oak, is a small tree that often grows with a shrubby habit in the wild, reaching a mature height of 8–15 meters (26–49 feet). It is classified within the red oak section, Quercus sect. Lobatae. Georgia oak is native to the southeastern United States. Its range is concentrated mainly in northern Georgia, with additional separate populations found in Alabama, North Carolina, and South Carolina. This species grows on dry granite and sandstone outcrops on hillside slopes, at altitudes between 50 and 500 meters (160–1,640 feet). The species was first discovered in 1849 at Stone Mountain, Georgia. At this location, several pure stands of Georgia oak grow along the popular walk-up trail at approximately 400 meters (1,300 feet), near a large chestnut oak located in the middle of the trail, before reaching the rest pavilion halfway up the trail. Georgia oaks also occur on nearby monadnocks, including Panola Mountain and Arabia Mountain in Georgia. Georgia oak is occasionally cultivated as a specimen or garden tree in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 8. Aside from its use in landscape horticulture, it has no commercial uses.
