Virginia Tech Dendrology

Darlington oak Fagaceae Quercus hemisphaerica W. Bartram ex Willd. symbol: QUHE2
Leaf: Alternate, simple, entire but may have a few shallow lobes at tip, elliptical to oblong-obovate, leathery and nearly evergreen, edges may be rolled, 1 to 3 inches long, 1/2 to 1 inch wide, shiny dark green above, paler below.
Flower: Species is monoecious; male flowers are yellow-green long catkins (1 1/2 to 3 inches long), females are green to reddish, very small spike in leaf axils, appearing with the leaves.
Fruit: Small acorn (1/2 inch or less), nut round, brown with some fuzz, cap is shallow covering 1/4 of nut.
Twig: Slender, light brown to gray, hairless; buds are sharp pointed reddish brown and clustered at twig ends.
Bark: Initially smooth, and gray-brown, later splitting into fissures and flat ridges and becoming darker.
Form: Medium size tree to 60 feet, 1 to 3 feet in diameter, usually smaller with a rounded crown.
Looks like: laurel oak - shingle oak - bluejack oak - willow oak

Additional Range Information: Quercus hemisphaerica 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 2025 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