WIMBISH TREE FARM - MILFORD, TEXAS

Wimbish Tree Farm sells only trees native to and adapted to Texas soils at wholesale prices.
All Trees are heat resistant, drought resistant & accommodating to alkaline Texas soils.

972-493-5311 wimb@cnbnet.com

Quercus glaucoides

LACEY OAK

COMMON NAMES: LACEY OAK, SMOKEY OAK, CANYON OAK, ROCK OAK, BLUE OAK

Quercus laceyi (glaucoides) (KWER-kus LACE-ee-eye)

Fagaceae (Beech Family)

Medium size deciduous shade tree

HEIGHT: 25 to 35 feet

SPREAD: 15 to 20 feet

FINAL SPACING: 15 to 20 feet

NATURAL HABITAT AND PREFERRED SITE:
South Central Texas to the Trans Pecos in thin alkaline or limestone rocky soils up into the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park.

IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION:
Lacey oak is a beautiful small to medium tree with blue-green mature foliage, peach colored new growth and similar fall color.

FLOWERS AND FRUIT:
Separate male and female catkins in the early spring. Brown acorns are in clusters of 2 or 3.

BARK:
Light gray to dark brown, flaky to deeply fissured.

FOLIAGE:
Leaves are leathery, dusky blue to blue gray to grayish green. Fall color ranges from pink or peach to gold. The new growth in the spring is a similar color.

CULTURE:
Easy to grow and adapts to many soil from sand to heavy clays. Can be found growing natively in the white limestone rocky soils so this is an excellent choice for the black and white soils of a large portion of Texas. It is drought tolerant and needs little fertilizer.

PROBLEMS:
Availability in the trade. Hopefully it will become more available now that this book has been produced. It would not be able to stand wet soil continuously.

PROPAGATION:
All oaks are grown from seed – as soon as they are released from the trees in the fall.

INSIGHT:
The leaves are quite small in comparison to other oaks. Lacey oak is a trouble free tree that should be used much more in the landscape.
Beautiful small oak native to Texas Hill Country. Spreading canopy with attractive bluish-green foliage.
Highly tolerant to heat, drought, alkaline soil, and pests. Makes wonderful shade tree for smaller yards.

Hardiness:
Zone 7

Exposure:
Full sun

Size:
Height 25 feet tall, 20 feet wide

Care:
Best adapted to western two-thirds of state. Don't water too frequently.

Lacey Oak Is A Real Texas Lady

Lacey oak is a beautiful small to medium size deciduous tree with a minor identity problem, being known alternately as Quercus laceyi or Quercus glaucoides. Most folks simply call it lacey oak, but other common names it has worn over time include blue oak, canyon oak, encino robie, mountain oak, smoky oak, and rock oak. Most of these common names refer to the tough conditions in central and south Texas where this species resides or are related to its handsome blue-green foliage.

Regardless of the name, this plant has much to offer as a landscape plant in its native Texas. Leaves expand as a soft pink color, turning a handsome blue-green as they mature lending the plant an intriguing smoky air. The foliage is seldom bothered by insects or disease. Fall color varies from brown to yellow. Growth habit will vary with local environmental conditions, with the ultimate size ranging in most cultivated landscapes from 30' to 35' in height and spread. One of the best attributes of lacey oak is it's picturesque irregularly rounded crown. With this crown placed atop a stoutish trunk baring platy gray bark it makes a handsome addition to Texas landscapes, resembling a miniature white oak, but of tougher constitution.

Lacey oak is highly tolerant of heat, drought, and high pH soils once established. Full sun to light afternoon shade with morning sun are the best exposures. Lacey oak will survive on well drained clay soils, but it grows best on well drained limestone soils. Although lacey oak can be grown in east Texas, it is best adapted to the hill country and cultivated settings in west Texas. Cold tolerance has not been fully documented for lacey oak, but based on regional plantings it should be suitable for use in USDA zones 7 (perhaps protected spots in 6b) through 9.

Lacey oak is a Texas Superstar^TM, but even superstars have limits. Limitations for lacey oak include an intolerance to poorly drained soils, a moderate growth rate, and a tendency to need some initial minor pruning to maintain a strong central leader. Growth and landscape appeal in high rainfall areas will be enhanced if the trees are planted on raised beds or berms.

Landscape utilization of lacey oak might include placement as a specimen plant, small to medium size lawn or shade tree, or site it to shade a patio. This species would be a natural in native Texas landscapes and naturalized plantings, where the acorns can serve as a wildlife attractant. Xeriscapes or low water use landscapes are perfect conditions for growing lacey oak. For a bit of the unusual, try growing lacey oak as a specimen in large containers to accent courtyards or entryways to large buildings. The picturesque growth habit of this species would be accentuated if it were used as a bonsai plant.

Lacey oak deserves frequent consideration when discussing smaller shade trees that will stay in scale with residential landscapes. This beautiful tree will add a touch of the Texas hill country to your urban landscape.

After more than 7 years of state-wide testing, the Texas A&M University Agriculture Program has designated the lacey oak tree as the newest Texas Superstar.

"Lacey oak is a beautiful, small- to medium-size deciduous tree with a minor identity problem, being known alternately as Quercus laceyi or Quercus glaucoides," said Dr. Mike Arnold, associate professor of landscape horticulture at Texas A&M University. "Most folks simply call it lacey oak, but other common names it has worn over time include blue oak, canyon oak, encino robie, mountain oak, smoky oak and rock oak."

Most of these refer to the tough growing conditions in central and south Texas where this species resides, Arnold said, or are related to its handsome blue-green foliage.

Regardless of the name, this plant has much to offer as a landscape plant in its native Texas, he said.

"Leaves expand as a soft pink color, turning a handsome blue-green as they mature, lending the plant an intriguing smoky air. The foliage is seldom bothered by insects or disease. Fall color varies from brown to yellow."

Growth habit varies according to local environment, with the most common size being 30-35 feet in height and spread, he added.

Lacey oaks display a picturesque irregularly rounded crown atop a stoutish trunk. These attributes, along with a textured gray bark, make this tree "a handsome addition to Texas landscapes, resembling a miniature white oak, but of tougher constitution," Arnold said.

Once established, lacey oak is also highly tolerant of heat, drought and high pH soils. Full sun to light afternoon shade with morning sun are the best exposures. Lacey oak will survive on well-drained clay soils, but it grows best on well-drained limestone soils.

"Although lacey oak can be grown in East Texas, it is best adapted to the Hill Country and cultivated settings in West Texas," Arnold said. "Cold tolerance has not been fully documented for lacey oak, but based on regional plantings, it should be suitable for use in USDA zones 7 (perhaps protected spots in 6b) through 9."

But even superstars have limits. Research has shown limitations for lacey oak include an intolerance to poorly drained soils, a moderate growth rate and a tendency to need some initial minor pruning. Growth and landscape appeal in high rainfall areas will be enhanced if the trees are planted on raised beds or berms.

Arnold noted that landscape utilization of lacey oak might include placement as a specimen plant, small- to medium-size lawn or shade tree, or as a shade tree for a patio. Lacy oaks work well in native Texas landscapes and naturalized plantings where the acorns can serve as a wildlife attractant, and in Xeriscapes or low-water use landscapes, he said.

"For a bit of the unusual, try growing lacey oak as a specimen in large containers to accent courtyards or entryways to large buildings," Arnold said. "The picturesque growth habit of this species would be accentuated if it were used as a bonsai plant.

"Lacey oak deserves frequent consideration when discussing smaller shade trees that will stay in scale with residential landscapes. This beautiful tree will add a touch of the Texas hill country to your urban landscape."

AUTUMN BLAZE MAPLE - BALD CYPRESS - BURR OAK - CEDAR ELM - CHINESE PISTACHE - CHINQUAPIN OAK - LACEY OAK
LIVE OAK - MEXICAN WHITE OAK - PURPLEBLOW (SHANTUNG) MAPLE - TEXAS MOUNTAIN LAUREL - TEXAS REDBUD

DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO WIMBISH TREE FARM

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