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Native Plant Society of Texas

Escarpment Live Oak

Quercus fusiformis

Other common name(s):

Plateau Live Oak, Hill Country Live Oak, Texas Live Oak, Scrub Live Oak, Plateau Oak, Encino Molino, Tesmoli

Family:

Fagaceae (Beech Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Southern Texas Plains, Texas Blackland Prairies
Limestone Plains
Stockton Plateau
Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Coastal Sand Plain, Laguna Madre Barrier Island and Coastal Marshes, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains, Semiarid Edwards Bajada, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

20
to
60
ft.

Spread

10
to
40
ft.

Leaf Retention

Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Calcareous, Dry, Gravelly, Limestone, Loam, Shallow

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Very Low, Low

Native Habitat

Grassland, Savanna, Shrubland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Larval Host, Nesting Material, Nuts

Wildlife Benefit

Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Maintenance

Slow growing. Very drought tolerant. Needs a large open space. Evergreen but sheds leaves in spring as new leaves emerge. It is in the white oak group and therefore less susceptible to oak wilt. Nearly identical in appearance to, and considered much hardier than, Q. virginiana. Native habitat: savannas, rocky hills, grasslands, scrublands, open woodlands, oak-juniper woodland, and margins of thorn scrub, often on limestone or deep calcareous loams, sometimes on granular sand or gravel.

Description

Blooms March-May. A thicket-forming shrub or large, spreading tree. Leaves are firm textured and oval to elliptic in shape. They are usually without lobes except on young plants that have pointed lobes. Tiny flowers are arranged on a catkin. The fruit is an acorn that is spindle-shaped (fusiform), narrowed at the base compared to the similar Q. virginiana. Larval host: Hairstreak and Horace’s Duskywing butterflies.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Quercus virginiana var. fusiformis

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed Stratification Before planting, the seeds must first undergo stratification, a process of exposing them to cool temperatures, typically around 40°F, for a period of several weeks. This step is necessary as it softens the hard outer shell of the seed, allowing water to penetrate and the seed to germinate. After stratification, the seeds are sown in well-prepared soil and covered with a thin layer of mulch. Plant at a shallow depth. Burying acorns too deep can inhibit germination and root growth for texas live oak. Initially, the soil should be kept moist, and as they begin to grow, they require regular watering. The seeds are collected from mature trees in the fall, either on the ground, or after shaking the branches. 1) https://www.botanikks.com/plants/quercus-fusiformis-small/548392/1 2) https://earthone.io/plant/quercus%20fusiformis?srsltid 3) https://www.picturethisai.com/care/propagate/Quercus_fusiformis.html
Softwood Cutting Dip in a rooting hormone before planting in a well-aerated rooting medium such as perlite or vermiculite. Soil can be used, but it should be mixed with coarse sand to improve its drainage. The propagated cuttings should be kept under high humidity with frequent misting to avoid wilting or drying out. After several weeks, roots should begin to grow, and the cuttings can be transplanted to more stable growing conditions. Softwood cuttings from new growth are typically collected during the spring or early summer. The cuttings should be 6-8 inches long. https://www.botanikks.com/plants/quercus-fusiformis-small/548392/1

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason