Mexican Blue Oak

Quercus oblongifolia

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Fagaceae
Genus:
Quercus
Species:
Quercus oblongifolia

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Shrub , Tree
Height:
20-40 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
mar, apr, may
Bloom Colors:
White, Green
Evergreen Shrub:
Yes

Native Range

United States: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★☆☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Antheraea oculea, Automeris zephyria, Cecropis moth (Automeris cecrops), Grote's buck moth (Hemileuca grotei), oak borer moth (Carmenta querci), Oslar's eacles (Eacles oslari), Oslar's oakworm moth (Anisota oslari), Stone's buckmoth (Hemileuca stonei)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
Prefers arid and semi-arid regions

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 90 days.

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o