''Quercus phillyreoides'' is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''

Quercus An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...

'', placed in subgenus ''Cerris'' and section ''Ilex''. It is evergreen, withstands frost and can be grown in hardiness zone 7. It is native to southern China, the

Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan: the Ōsumi, Tokara, Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima Islands (further divided into the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands), with Yonaguni ...

, and Japan, and has been introduced to Korea.

Uses

The Japanese use ''Quercus phillyreoides'' or ubame oak to produce

binchōtan ''Binchō-tan'' ( ja, 備長炭), also called white charcoal or ''binchō-zumi,'' is a type of charcoal traditionally used in Japanese cooking. Its use dates to the Edo period, when, during the Genroku era, a craftsman named Bichū-ya Chōzae ...

, a traditional variety of vegetal

activated carbon Activated carbon, also called activated charcoal, is a form of carbon commonly used to filter contaminants from water and air, among many other uses. It is processed (activated) to have small, low-volume pores that increase the surface area avail ...

. It has found use as a

street tree Urban forestry is the care and management of single trees and tree populations in urban settings for the purpose of improving the urban environment. Urban forestry involves both planning and management, including the programming of care and ...

in a number of European cities.

References

phillyreoides Flora of South-Central China Flora of Southeast China Flora of the Ryukyu Islands Flora of Japan Plants described in 1859 {{Quercus-stub