Quercus arkansana is shade-loving tree that grows in the understories of
mesic pine forests and southern hardwood stands, and it is frequently reported from
sandhills, the upper portions of ravines,
steepheads, and above the heads of small streams. It is rarely a dominant component of the vegetation, except for a few places in
Arkansas and
Florida where it is found in large stands. It grows alongside
Pinus taeda,
P. echinata and other pines, as well as other oaks such as
Quercus nigra,
Q. pagoda,
Q. margarettae, and
Q. hemisphaerica. It grows among various other hardwoods including
Nyssa sylvatica,
Liquidambar styraciflua,
Vaccinium arboreum,
Sassafras albidum,
Magnolia grandiflora, and
Diospyros virginiana. It has been observed to form
hybrids between
Q. arkansana and
Q. nigra in Georgia, and introgression from
Q. falcata has been observed in
Texas. ==References==