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Turkey Oak Scientific Name: Quercus cerris Common Name: Turkey Oak Division: Magnoliophyta Family: Fagaceae Genus: Quercus GENERAL DESCRIPTION The Turkey oak is seldom used outside large urban parks.  It is one of the last trees in Central Park to drop its leaves in the fall, usually in mid-December. This tree’s natural range is eastern Europe to western China.  It is not related to the native Turkey oak.  We have found this tree to be somewhat invasive and would use it within area adjacent to natural areas.  Most of the Turkey oaks on the south side of the Reservoir have seeded in on their own. Turkey Oak Tree, north of East 102nd Street entrance

Flower   Male and female grow on same tree.  Pollinated by the wind.  Brown, nondescript. Fruit One-inch-long acorn set in fuzzy cup half its length.  Ripens in October. Leaf   Two forms: one with deep lobes, the other with shallow lobes.  Shiny dark green, 2-1/2 to 5 inches long.  Bark   Dark gray, very rough and deeply fissured.   Form:  Up to 60 feet, round symmetrical canopy. LOCATIONS IN CENTRAL PARK Finest specimen: 102nd Street on first path north of the Drive 90th to 93rd Streets on west side between the Drive and bridle path  South side of the Reservoir  102nd Street entrance, on both the north and south sides of the Drive West of Balto, east side at 67th Street  Wagner Cove, off Cherry Hill at west 72nd Street  Shakespeare Garden, off the Drive at West 79th Street Photo Credit: Piero Amorati (fruit) and Chris Evans (flower), Forestry Images, http://www.forestryimages.org/ Matthew Brown, Central Park Conservancy Neil Calvanese, Central Park Conservancy