Chestnut Leafed Oak

Chestnut Leafed Oak (Quercus castaneifolia) is the oak to plant when you want real shade within a decade rather than a lifetime. In an Australian garden it settles at about 15m tall and 10m wide, carrying long, saw edged leaves closer to a sweet chestnut than a classic oak. It establishes faster than most oaks, and once the roots are down it takes frost, drought and wind in its stride.

Why you'll love it

• Shade in summer, sun in winter. The canopy is dense enough to cool a house through January, then the leaves drop and let the low winter sun back in.
• Warm autumn colour. Foliage turns bronze, russet and gold as the season closes, which is uncommon in a tree of this scale.
• Quicker than most oaks. Fast growing by oak standards, so you are not planting purely for the next owner.
• Tough once established. Frost hardy, drought tolerant and wind tolerant, which suits exposed rural blocks and cold inland districts.

Where it works best

Shade tree for a large garden. Give it 10m of clear width and at least 8m from the house, paving and services.

Driveways and avenues. Space trees 10m to 12m apart along a drive. Closer planting makes the canopies compete and lifts the crowns unevenly.

Feature planting. One tree on open lawn shows the broad, rounded head at its best.

Growing Chestnut Leafed Oak in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, with room overhead. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens: the tablelands, inland New South Wales, Victoria, the Adelaide Hills and southern Western Australia. Humid tropical and wet subtropical gardens are not its country, and colour is muted anywhere winters stay mild.

Soil. Deep, free draining soil is ideal, though it copes with clay loam provided the site does not stay wet. Dig a wide hole, break the sides open, and backfill with the native soil rather than pure compost so roots move outward. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then only in long dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser each early spring for the first few years is plenty; established oaks rarely need feeding.

Pruning. Formative only. Keep a single leader, remove crossing branches over the first three winters, and lift the lower limbs gradually if you want to mow underneath.

What to expect when it arrives

This oak is listed in a 400mm pot and a 45L, with the 45L usually on backorder from the growing field. Both are young trees with a single leader and a light branch structure, not instant shade. A deciduous tree may arrive bare or barely in leaf depending on the season, which is normal rather than a fault.

Expect a quiet first year while the root system spreads, then obvious extension growth from the second spring. Plants are delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, with a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing a canopy tree for shade
• Browse the deciduous tree range
• Compare plants with autumn colour
• English Oak for a slower, broader alternative

Common questions

How quickly will it give shade?

Allow two to three years of establishment, then useful shade from roughly year five in a warm site with water. Reaching its full 15m takes several decades.

How far from the house should I plant it?

At least 8m from walls, paving and services, and further if you can. The crown alone spreads to about 10m, so plan for the canopy first.

Will it colour well in a warm climate?

Colour depends on cold nights in autumn. In the tablelands and southern gardens expect strong bronze and gold; in warm temperate coastal gardens the leaves often shift straight to brown before dropping.

Can I keep it in a pot?

Only briefly. It is a large forest tree with a deep root system, and a container will check it within a couple of seasons.