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Sonoran Scrub Oak

Quercus turbinella

Sonoran scrub oak is a spiny-leaved evergreen oak of Southwestern chaparral and desert mountains, forming dense drought-proof thickets. Critical cover and acorn mast for desert birds and mammals.

Family
Fagaceae
Type
shrub
Lifespan
perennial
Height
3–12 ft
Spacing
6–15 ft apart
Light
sun
Soil moisture
dry
Soil pH
neutral, alkaline
Bloom
March, April
Bloom colors
yellow, green, brown
Wildlife value
songbirds, mammals, larval host
Caterpillar hosts
~557 butterfly & moth species
Landscape uses
specimen, hedge or screen, erosion control
Native states
AZ, CA, CO, NM, NV, TX, UT