Virginia Tech Dendrology

huckleberry oak Fagaceae Quercus vacciniifolia Kellogg symbol: QUVA
Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen; variable shape, oblong to elliptical with a rounded base, leathery, small (1 1/2 inches long), margins may be wavy, entire, or toothed; gray-green and smooth or slightly pubescent above, pale and sparsely pubescent below; petiole flattened.
Flower: Species is monoecious; inconspicuous; male flowers borne in aments (catkins); female flowers borne solitary or in short spikes, appearing in early summer.
Fruit: An elongated acorn with a shallow, scaly cap, 1/2 inches long, requires 2 seasons to mature.
Twig: Slender, flexible, fuzzy when young but becoming smooth and reddish brown with age; bud scales brown with pubescent edges.
Bark: Thin and mostly smooth; may develop small, tight scales with age; gray-brown.
Form: Grows as a dense, often prostrate shrub up to 6 feet tall.
Looks like: canyon live oak

Additional Range Information: Quercus vacciniifolia is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information