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Emory oak Fagaceae Quercus emoryi Torr. Listen to the Latin Print a QR link to this factsheet symbol: QUEM
Leaf: Alternate, evergreen (or nearly so), simple, narrowly ovate to broadly lance shaped, 1 to 3 inches long, entire or toothed margin (more so near the tip), leathery and stiff, sharp pointed, parallel veins that are sunken above and raised beneath, heart shaped base, shiny yellow-green to green and smooth above, paler but smooth below (maybe a few hairs).
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 3/4 inch long, bowl-shaped, thick scaly cap covers 1/3 of nut, short stalked, ripens in 1 season in early fall.
Twig: Moderate, fuzzy, yellow-brown; buds are long, pointed and fuzzy, particularly near tips.
Bark: Dark gray, becoming quite thick and splitting into irregular furrows and scaly ridges.
Form: Shrub to medium sized tree up to 60 feet, typically with a short trunk and a round crown with stout limbs.
Looks like: Arizona white oak - gray oak - Mexican blue oak - shrub live oak

Emory oak leaf image
Emory oak flower image
Emory oak fruit image
Emory oak twig image
Emory oak bark image
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Emory oak map image

Additional Range Information: Quercus emoryi 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