Dwarf Live Oak Quercus minima
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KWER-kus MIN-eh-muh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Dwarf Live Oak is a tardily deciduous shrub native to the pine forests and coastal sandhills of the southeastern U.S.A. It spreads by rhizomes and seeds and can form dense colonies in its native habitat. It grows to about 3 feet high with a wider spread and produces acorns like the big trees. Wildlife utilizes this shrub for food and shelter.
Dwarf Live Oak prefers a sunny location in well-drained sandy soil. It is drought tolerant but not salt tolerant. This shrub is rarely used in home landscaping but could be utilized as a groundcover for natural landscapes and is used in habitat restorations.
It is a host plant for the larvae of the Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis), as well as numerous butterflies, including Banded hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), Edward's hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), White-m hairstreak (Parrhasius malbum), Horace's duskywing (Erynnis horatius), and Juvenalis duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis).
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Quercus
- Species:
- minima
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Layering
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE USA
- Distribution:
- AL , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , TX
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Oak trees support a wide variety of Lepidopteran. You may see Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May. Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), has one flight from May-July in the south and June-July in the north. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), has three to four flights in the south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) has three broods in the north from February-October. Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) has three broods in Texas and the deep south from January-November, and two broods in the north from April-September. Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) has one brood from April-June, appearing as early as January in Florida. Birds and small mammals use the nuts from this tree as a food source.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Particularly resistant to drought and fire in the landscape.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Semi-evergreen
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Pale brown acorn about 2/3" long. Cup has gray scales and covers 1/2 of the nut.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Male catkins are yellow-green.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate, 3-5 inches long, and toothless or with irregular teeth or lobes. Lobes, when present, are usually spine-tipped. Base cuneate, apex acute to rounded. Leaves persist through winter then drop off prior to new leaves forming. Undersides light green and glaucous.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Bark Description:
- Smooth, brown to light gray
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Light gray, smooth twigs in the second year. Small roundish bud, dark brown to grayish-brown scales.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Container
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Winter Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Fire
- Storm damage
- Wind
- Problems:
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Stomach pain, constipation and later bloody diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination if uncooked leaves or fruit are eaten.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Fruits
- Leaves
