Accession Count: 1
Common Name:
Arizona white oak
Family Name:
Fagaceae
Botanical Name:
Quercus arizonica
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
The Arizona white oak is a perennial evergreen. Its leaves are alternate, simple, and pinnate. They are dull yellow-green to blue-green and leathery in texture. The monoecious yellow-green flowers produce an acorn and bloom in spring.
Compound:
Que ari
Geographic Origin:
Desert Southwest
Ecozone Origin:
Nearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
Native to Arizona and parts of New Mexico, Texas and Mexico, Quercus arizonica is able to survive in a variety of environments. When present in areas with other oaks it hybridizes readily with species such as the gray oak, Gambel oak, and Mohr shin oak (1).
Arizona oak grows in elevations that range from 3,445 to 7,218 ft and are best suited for climates with two seasons of rain, warmer summers and mild winters. Quercus arizonica can grow in poor soils or soils that are high in rocks and sand (2).
The Arizona white oak can be found in the southern part of the United States on the walls of canyons at altitudes from 15000 – 3000 m.
Cultivation Notes:
Ethnobotany:
Known as a hard wood, the wood of Quercus arizonica can be used as fuel and sometimes as a construction material, but it is difficult to find wood that is straight. The acorns of this oak are eaten by cattle as well as wildlife such as white tailed deer, birds and reptiles. It is also used as a habitat for some of the same animals that forage on the acorns (1).
Height:
20 - 50 feet
Width:
20 - 50 feet
Growth Rate:
Slow Growing
Grow Season:
Summer
Flower Season:
Spring
Color:
Yellow
Function:
Accent
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
