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Notholithocarpus densiflorus

Notholithocarpus densiflorus (Hook. & Arn.) P.S. Manos, C.H. Cannon, & S.H. Oh

Tan Oak

Fagaceae (Beech Family)

Synonym(s): Lithocarpus densiflorus

USDA Symbol: NODE3

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Tan oak is a narrow, conical (broad-crowned if open-grown) tree, growing slowly to more than 100 ft. in the wild. Garden specimens are rarely over 30 ft. Evergreen tree with a great central trunk and crown varying from narrow and conical to broad and rounded; sometimes a shrub. The thick, leathery, oblong, sharply toothed leaves are gray-green on the upper surface, fuzzy-white below. This is an evergreen tree.

Tan oak is placed in a separate genus, Notholithocarpus, from true oaks (genus Quercus), with more than 100 species native to southeast Asia and Indomalaysia. While the acorns resemble those of true oaks, the flowers are like those of chinkapins and chestnuts (genus Castanea). Tan oak bark was once the main commercial western source of tannin. Indians ground flour from the large acorns after removing the shells and washing the seeds in hot water to remove the bitter taste.