Arizona White Oak
Quercus arizonica
- Native to:
- Mexico, United States
Billy Aguirre
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Genus:
- Quercus
- Species:
- Quercus arizonica
- USDA Symbol:
- QUAR
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 1800 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
angled sallow (Perigonica angulata), Arizona emerald (Nemoria arizonaria), Dicogaster coronada, Egira simplex, Himmacia huachucella, Homorthodes reliqua, Lacinipolia rodora, oak borer moth (Carmenta querci), Oslar's oakworm moth (Anisota oslari), Quadrina diazoma, Juvenal's Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis), Propertius Duskywing (Erynnis propertius)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals, deer
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from the root crown following fire. Thick bark provides some fire resistance in mature trees.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- adapted to arid and semi-arid regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Acorns lose viability quickly; plant fresh in fall or cold stratify. Radicle emergence is rapid once dormancy is broken.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: None required
Establishment: P. quadrifolia is found on the western edge of the Colorado desert in Arizona and California to lower California.
Source: npn.rngr.net