- The Post Oak (Quercus stellata) is commonly found on dry sites and sandy soils from the New Jersey pine barrens and Ohio River south and west onto the southern plains of Texas and Oklahoma. It is a slow-growing tree that rarely exceeds a height of a 100 feet. The Post Oak is basically intolerant of shade and competition from other plants, so it often grows well on an exposed grassy location.
- Urban planners often take advantage of the Post Oak's tolerance for full sun, sandy soil and dry sites to plant the tree in city parks and next to sidewalks. When full-grown the tree has a stately form and so it is often incorporated into a landscape design project. However, the disease resistance of the Post Oak is only good to moderate, especially when the tree is not fertilized.
- While cattle, goats and sheep fine this plant poisonous, wildlife strives on the acorns of the Post Oak. Such animals as deer, wild turkeys, squirrels and chipmunks use the acorn as a prime food supply. The tree also provides nesting material for raccoons, squirrels and birds, as well as a possible location for the nest. And when the Post Oak is in the shrub stage, it provides ground cover for all kinds of birds and mammals.
- If you purchase some "white oak" at a lumber yard, there is a distinct possibility you might be buying Post Oak, as the difference between the timber of Post Oak, White Oak, Chestnut Oak and Swamp White Oak are slim. Dried wood from this tree can be used for flooring, building timbers, trim molding, stair risers, treads and planking. Since Post Oak has good rot-resistant properties, it is sometimes employed as fence posts, railroad ties and mining timbers. And then, due to a high tannin content, the bark can be used for landscaping and tanning leather. The one place that the Post Oak can cause problems is around livestock, where the acorns, buds and leaves and can cause poisoning in farm animals, especially during a drought, when other vegetation is scarce.