Arizona white oak Fagaceae Quercus arizonica Sarg. symbol: QUAR Leaf: Alternate, evergreen (or nearly so), simple, oblong, 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches long, entire or toothed margin (more so near the tip), leathery and stiff, parallel veins that are sunken above and raised beneath, heart shaped base, dull yellow-green to blue-green above, dull and very fuzzy beneath. Flower: Species is monoecious; males in long drooping catkins, yellow-green; females very small spikes in leaf axils, appearing with the leaves. Fruit: Oblong acorn, 1/2 to 1 inch long, bowl shaped cap with finely hairy scales (warty near edges), covers 1/3 of nut, ripens in 1 season in early fall. Twig: Moderate, light brown, fuzzy; reddish brown, clustered terminal buds, sharp pointed and plump. Bark: Light gray, initially thin and lenticeled, becomes quite thick with shallow fissures and scaly ridges. Form: An evergreen, medium sized tree with a short trunk and a spreading, irregular crown of stout, twisted branches, reaches up to 60 feet tall. Looks like: Emory oak - gray oak - Mexican blue oak - netleaf oak Additional Range Information: Quercus arizonica is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting Arizona white oak. External Links: USDAFS Additional Silvics USDA Plants Database © Copyright 2016, Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson