gray oak Fagaceae Quercus
grisea Liebm.
symbol: QUGR3
Leaf: Alternate, deciduous (or nearly evergreen), simple, elliptical to ovate, 1 to 2 1/2 inches long, entire or a few teeth near pointed tip, leathery and stiff, rounded or heart-shaped base, gray-green to green above, dull and 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 3/4 inch long, bowl shaped, scaly, finely hairy cap (may be stalked) covers 1/2 of nut, ripens in 1 season in early fall.
Twig: Moderate, light reddish brown, fine grayish fuzz; clustered terminal buds, sharp pointed and plump.
Bark: Light gray, splitting into loose plates.
Form: A shrub to medium sized tree up to 60 feet; on drier sites it is very shrubby with multiple stems. Larger trees have an irregular crown of stout, twisted branches.
Looks like: Emory oak
- Arizona white oak
- Mexican blue oak
- shrub live oak