Loquat Oak
–
–
–
Full Sun
Low
Deer Resistant
About This Plant
A fast-growing shade tree in the red oak subgroup, with large crinkled leaves that strongly resemble the unrelated Japanese loquat. In spring, the emerging new leaves add a striking reddish-purple tint to the canopy. Along with live oak and Monterrey oak, this is one of the few “evergreen” oak varieties available to Texas landscapers.
Native to mid- and lower elevations in the eastern Sierra Madre, loquat oak has proven tolerant of much colder temperatures in Texas; full-size specimens can be seen at Trinity University and at the San Antonio Botanical Garden and as far north as Dallas and Nacogdoches.
Loquat oak prefers well-drained soils and is drought tolerant once established. A fairly recent introduction to horticulture, it is not widely available commercially but worth the effort to find it.
Maintenance
As a red oak, loquat oak is vulnerable to oak wilt; prune only in winter and never in spring. Paint any wounds and beware of rookie arborists who don’t clean their tools.
Features
This plant goes well with
Callicarpa americana
Aspidistra elatior
Cyrtomium falcatum
- List Item #1
- List Item #2
- List Item #3
