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Cressler, Alan

Quercus minima

Quercus minima (Sarg.) Small

Dwarf Live Oak, Minimal Oak

Fagaceae (Beech Family)

Synonym(s): Quercus virginiana var. minima

USDA Symbol: QUMI2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

GROWTH FORM: rhizomatous shrub, tardily deciduous or evergreen, usually to 3 feet (0.9 m), forming thickets of unbranched stems. BARK: smooth, brown to light gray. TWIGS and BUDS: light gray, smooth twigs in second year; small globe shaped bud, dark brown to grayish-brown scales. LEAVES: very short petiole 1⁄8 - 1⁄4 inch (3 - 6 mm) long; obovate or oblanceolate leaf, 1 1⁄2 - 4 3⁄4 inches (38 - 121 mm) long, 3⁄4 - 2 inches (19 - 51 mm) wide, base cuneate, apex acute to rounded, margins flat or slightly wavy; glossy light to dark green above, light green with whitish bloom below.

Dwarf live oak is maintained to provide food and shelter for wildlife in habitats where fire is used as a tool to reduce competing vegetation in Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) and Slash pine (Pinus elliottii) management. This oak species can produce acorns at 3 years of age.

From the Image Gallery

3 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous , Evergreen
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Oblanceolate , Obovate
Leaf Apex: Acute
Leaf Base: Cuneate
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious
Inflorescence: Catkin
Fruit Type: Nut
Size Notes: Up to about 6 feet tall, often shorter.
Leaf: Leaves glossy light to dark green above, light green with whitish bloom below.
Fruit: Acorns annual; 1 - 3 acorns on peduncle 1⁄8 - 1 1⁄8 inches (3 - 29 mm) long, goblet- shaped cup with grayish scales, with or without minute pubescence, encloses up to 1⁄2 of nut; narrowly oval, dark brown nut, 5⁄8 - 1 inch (16 - 25 mm) long.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green , Brown
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AL , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , TX
Native Distribution: Louisiana east to Florida, and north to North Carolina.
Native Habitat: Pine and scrub forests on deep sandy soils.

Benefit

Use Other: Dwarf live oak is maintained to provide food and shelter for wildlife in habitats where fire is used as a tool to reduce competing vegetation in longleaf and slash pine management.
Interesting Foliage: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FAC				FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Bibliography

Bibref 1134 - Field Guide to Native Oak Species of Eastern North America (2003) Stein, John D. and Denise Binion

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 3 - Flora of North America (2014) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Quercus minima in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Quercus minima in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Quercus minima

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-10-10
Research By: DEW

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