Virginia Tech Dendrology

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. 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