Gambel Oak

Quercus gambelii

Plant Details:

Plant Type: Deciduous Tree
Plant Family: Fagaceae
Plant Description: Small deciduous tree native to the western United States. 2-5" long lobed leaves are dark green on top with pale and hairy undersides. Inconspicuous green flowers give way to acorns. Acorns are edible when properly prepared to remove the tannins. Grows in dense stands and clumps.

Maintenance:

Maintenance Type: Tree - Deciduous
Plant Care: Tree - Deciduous (single-stemmed woody plants that lose their leaves every winter): Prune regularly to promote health, provide air circulation, maintain a desirable shape, and to remove dead or damaged branches. Pruning is best done in late winter to early spring for most trees. With spring blooming trees, prune after the blooms are spent. Choose species that are resistant to pest damage. Monitor the tree for pests, diseases or other ailments on a regular basis. Protect the trunk especially where maintenance activities, such as mowing, may cause damage. Newly planted trees in areas with high exposure should have the trunk protected during the winter.

Plant Attributes:

Mature Size: 15-25' tall x 15-20' wide
Utah Native: Yes
Plant Select: No
Pollinator Friendly: No
Localscapes: Tree, Perimeter Plant
Foliage Interest: No
Foliage Colors: Dark Green, Green
Bloom Colors: Green, Inconspicuous
Bloom Seasons: Early Spring
Bloom Period: Mar - Apr

Growing Conditions:

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8
Light Requirement: Full Sun (6+ hrs sun)
Irrigation Requirement:     Very Low (Water to Establish)
Salt Tolerant: Yes
Deer Resistant: Unknown

Garden Location:

  • Maintenance Path
    • Rain Gardening
  • Neighborhood Landscapes
    • Waterwise Woodlands

Garden Staff Tips & Insights:

Develops leaf spot, which is a moslty cosmetic fungal disease, nothing to worry about. Also has galls on its branches as a result of an insect, also harmless to the plant.
  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Fall
  • Winter