[2] It is named for self-taught botanist and state forester of Indiana Charles C. Deam, who had forwarded samples to William Trelease for description.

They thought it to be a cross of Quercus alba and Q. muehlenbergii due to the large numbers of those trees growing in the vicinity.

Quercus × deamii is a forest tree with pale bark and a spreading crown of stout branches.

[4] When the original tree was marked for felling, Deam managed to buy the 0.2 acres (0.08 ha) of land it stood on for the state.

As the name suggests, it does not produce acorns, a desirable trait in certain garden and landscaping applications.