Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fagaceae

Genus:

Quercus

Species:

Quercus tardifolia

USDA Symbol:

QUTA

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

800 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Fall Color:

brown, yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire; typical of Chisos Mountains oak woodlands with periodic fire history.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rocky, well-drained limestone soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to mountainous regions; prefers rocky substrates

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Acorns lose viability quickly if allowed to dry; sow fresh in fall or cold stratify immediately.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI