The leaves on this oak are deeply lobed, shiny and pointed, with yellow, orange or red fall color. Bark is almost black on old trees with deep furrows. Tolerant of poor, dry sites. Red-banded hairstreak butterfly caterpillars feed on decaying sumac leaves and oak litter.
Oak species, as a group, serve as host plants for caterpillars of more than 500 different kinds of butterflies and moths. This is more than any other genus of tree. The caterpillars (larvae) feed on foliage, but without harming the trees. Oaks are vitally important in supporting nature’s web of life.