Also known as Sawtooth Oak
Quercus acutissima is a very beautiful ornamental tree native to East Asia (China, Korea, and Japan). It is primarily prized for its lush foliage and its elegant, slender form.
It is a tree with marcescent leaves (it retains its dry, dead leaves on its branches during the dormant season).
Its flowering is not spectacular, but it is not without charm. It consists of golden catkins that are scattered by the wind. This is followed by acorns whose cupules (the part of a plant that forms a small cup) are topped with long, greenish growths resembling soft hairs, giving them a rather unique appearance.
Since 2018, the Japanese oak has been listed as a threatened species on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. However, it is categorized as of “least concern,” which is somewhat reassuring regarding its future.
Its foliage resembles that of the chestnut tree; that is why it is also called the sawtooth oak.
