[4] Quercus lyrata is a medium to large-sized deciduous tree, growing as tall as 47 meters (154 feet), with an average height of 24 m (79 ft).

They are dark green and shiny on the top while the underside is a paler gray-green with fine hairs.

The male flowers, often brown or yellow in color, form in a drooping, elongated cluster.

[6] Female flowers appear as individual reddish spikes with surrounding leaves.

Female flowers appear as individual reddish spikes with surrounding leaves.

[8] Quercus lyrata was first described in 1788 by Thomas Walter, a British born American botanist.

[10] Quercus lyrata has an extensive range that extends across the central and eastern United States.

[5] It is in all the coastal states from New Jersey to Texas, inland as far as Oklahoma, Missouri, and Illinois.

It is found in small populations in the states of Delaware, Tennessee, Maryland, and Alabama.

It has adapted to survive in areas that are poorly drained and have large amounts of flooding.

[4] The overcup oak is one of the dominant species within an oak–water hickory forest and can often be associated with Quercus phellos (willow oak), Ulmus americana (American elm), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), Carya aquatica (water hickory), and Acer rubrum (red maple).

Its acorns can be eaten by small mammals and birds such as squirrels and wild turkeys.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified Q. lyrata as least concern.

[1] This extent of habitat loss could cause Q. lyrata to be reclassified by the IUCN as near-threatened or threatened.

[6] Its acorns are eaten by birds and mammals, but are a low severity poison to humans.