Flaigg, Norman G.
Quercus fusiformis Small
Escarpment live oak, Plateau live oak, Texas live oak, Scrub live oak, Hill country live oak, Plateau oak
Fagaceae (Beech Family)
Plateau oak or Escarpment live oak is a thicket-forming
shrub or large, spreading
tree that is nearly identical in appearance to, and considered much hardier than,
Q. virginiana. A short, tapering trunk supports picturesquely gnarled branches and limbs that over time will spread horizontally a great distance from the main trunk. It can reach a height of 20-40 ft. Leaves are
evergreen, firm textured,
ovate to
elliptic, 1 to 3 inches long; usually without lobes except on young plants and rootsprouts, then with pointed lobes. The leaves are generally slightly smaller than those of
Q. virginiana. Acorns 3/4 to 1 inch long, rather elongate. Unlike Coastal live oak, acorns are spindle-shaped (fusiform), narrowed at the base.
Ranging from the Glass Mountains and Arbuckle Mountains of southern Oklahoma south through the center of Texas to the mountains of Coahuila, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo Leon in Mexico,
Quercus fusiformis is the common live oak used in landscaping and found in the wild in central Texas. It is more drought-tolerant and cold-hardy than
Q. virginiana, which it is sometimes considered a variety of. Like
Q. virginiana, its magnificent, stately form has endeared it to generations of residents and it remains popular to this day. Also like
Q. virginiana, it is susceptible to live oak wilt and live oak decline when stressed by drought, so care must be taken to protect it from injury both aboveground and below ground to prevent infection. The largest known Texas live oak grows in Real
County, Texas.
Image Gallery:
32 photo(s) available
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial Habit: Tree Leaf Retention: Semi-evergreen Leaf Arrangement: Alternate Leaf Complexity: Simple Leaf Shape: Elliptic ,
Lanceolate ,
Ovate Leaf Venation: Pinnate Leaf Margin: Entire Leaf Apex: Acute ,
Obtuse Leaf Base: Cordate , Rounded ,
Truncate Leaf Texture: Leathery
Breeding System: Flowers
Unisexual ,
Monoecious Inflorescence: Catkin Fruit Type: Nut Size Notes: 20-40 ft tall
Leaf: Upper surface a glossy light to dark green, grayish- green beneath with dense
pubescent bloom that rubs off.
Flower: Flowers 2-3 inches long
Fruit: Acorns annual; peduncle
1⁄8 - 11⁄8 inches (3 - 29 mm)
supporting 1 - 5 nuts, cup
has narrow base, light gray
scales with reddish-tips may
be smooth or pubescent
encloses 1⁄4 - 1⁄2 of nut; dark
brown, narrow and oblong
nut with light brown stripes,
5⁄8 - 1 inch (16 - 25 mm) long.
Size Class: 12-36 ft. , 36-72 ft.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Distribution
USA: OK , TX
Native Distribution: Limited to southern Oklahoma, Texas between the Brazos and Pecos rivers, and the mountains of northeastern Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas).
Native Habitat: Savannahs, rocky hills, & uplands with limestone or calcareous loam soils.
USDA Native Status: L48(N) Growing Conditions
Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Drought Tolerance: High
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Rocky, sandy, clay, or loam soils, usually calcareous, including caliche, but also in slightly acidic sands
Conditions Comments: Those from southern Oklahoma are the most cold-hardy, surviving temperatures as low as -20 degrees F.
Benefit
Use Ornamental: Shade
tree, Attractive
Use Wildlife: It provides cover and nesting sites for birds and small mammals. Its acorns feed birds and mammals.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Hairstreak, Horaces Duskywing
Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)
Quercus fusiformis is a larval host and/or nectar source for:
Last Update: 2011-09-25
