The Dawes Arboretum

Common name: bur-Gambel hybrid oak

Family: Fagaceae (beech family)

Distribution: hybrid: Quercus macrocarpa × Q. gambelii

Hardiness: USDA Zone 2

Life form: Deciduous tree

Comments: A very slow-growing, deciduous tree that could ultimately reach 50' high and 25' wide after several years. Leaves are lustrous dark green. Deep-ridged, furrowed bark is an attractive plus. The bur-gambel oak is a naturally occurring cross between the bur oak, whose native range is in the eastern U.S., and the Gambel oak, whose native range is in the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. It is a member of the white oak group and produces abundant acorns annually. The mature size of the tree can vary from large tree (typical of bur oaks) to medium tree/large shrub (typical of Gambel oaks) depending on its environment. Both parents are known to be tough and drought-tolerant.