Quercus dentata
Quercus dentata, also called Japanese emperor oak, daimyo oak, or Korean oak, is a species of oak native to East Asia. The name of the tree is often translated as "sweet oak" in English to distinguish it from Western varieties. It is placed in section Quercus.
Description
Quercus dentata is a deciduous tree growing up to tall, with a trunk up to in diameter. Its foliage is remarkable for its size, among the largest of all oaks, consisting of a short hairy petiole, long, and a blade long and broad, with a shallowly lobed margin; the form is reminiscent of an enormous pedunculate oak leaf. The leaves are often retained dead on the tree into winter. Both sides of the leaf are initially downy with the upper surface becoming smooth.The flowers are produced in May; the male flowers are pendulous catkins. The female flowers are sessile, growing near the tips of new shoots, producing acorns 1.2–2.3 cm long and 1.2–1.5 cm broad, in broad, bushy-scaled cups; the acorns mature in September to October.
Ecology
Quercus dentata ' cannot tolerate the extreme cold of northern Hokkaido, but Quercus crispula ' can. In more southerly parts of Hokkaido, Q. dentata lives in coastal areas while Q. crispula tends to live more inland. In the more northern parts of the island, these two species have experienced introgression and they are interfertile, producing shoots that grow and can reproduce; resulting in a coastal Qc ecotype wih Qd-like traits. The coastal Qc are intermediary between the two parent species in genotypes and phenotypes.Cultivation outside East Asia
Quercus dentata was introduced to the British Isles in 1830, where it is occasionally grown in botanical gardens. It is usually smaller in cultivation than in the wild, growing to a small angular tree or large irregular shrub. Notable specimens include one at Osterley Park, tall and 1.5 m girth, and the largest, tall, at Avondale Forest Park, County Wicklow, Ireland.Culinary uses
In Korean cuisine, its acorns have been used since the Three Kingdoms. A notable food is dotorimuk.In Japanese cuisine, its leaves are used as a wrapping for kashiwa mochi.