Quercus palmeri
Palmer's oak, Palmer's Oak
(c) Jonas Katona, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fagaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Quercus palmeri (Palmer's oak) is a native California shrub / tree in the Fagaceae family, recognized by small stiff leaves and spine-toothed margins.
Palmer's oak is a California native shrub found in eastern North Coast Ranges, southern Sierra Nevada, northwestern San Joaquin Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, Southern Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, eastern Peninsular Ranges, southern Desert Mountains, and Little San Bernardino Mountains on rocky slopes and flats at elevations of 300 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from April to May, this evergreen shrub produces olive-green leaves with wavy, spine-toothed margins and pale gray-green undersides. Growing 2 to 6 meters tall with spreading, rigid branches, it forms a distinctive, sturdy woodland presence. Its stiff leaves are elliptic to round-ovate, 1 to 3 centimeters long, with a shiny surface and spine-toothed tips that give the plant a rugged texture. The mature acorn cup is bowl-shaped, 10 to 25 millimeters wide, with densely hairy scales and a nut that develops over two years.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 31 sympatric species; distinguished by small stiff leaves and spine-toothed margins
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Rocky slopes, flats
Elevation: 300-1600 m
California counties: Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Contra Costa, Colusa, Kern, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Alameda, Lake, Los Angeles
Outside California: Arizona, Baja California
Bloom period
Quercus palmeri blooms Apr-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Prunus: Quercus has acorns in cups; cherries/plums have fleshy round fruits.; vs Notholithocarpus: Quercus has drooping catkins; tanoak has upright flower spikes.; vs Rhamnus: Quercus has acorns; buckthorns have berry-like fruits.; vs Ceanothus: Quercus has acorns; California lilacs have small capsule fruits.; vs Platanus: Quercus has acorns; sycamores have hanging ball-shaped seed clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Quercus palmeri native to California?
Yes. Quercus palmeri is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Quercus palmeri bloom?
Quercus palmeri blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Quercus palmeri grow?
Quercus palmeri occurs in Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Contra Costa, Colusa, Kern and other counties, at elevations of 300-1600 m.
What plant family does Quercus palmeri belong to?
Quercus palmeri is in the Fagaceae family, genus Quercus.
What habitat does Quercus palmeri grow in?
Quercus palmeri grows in Uncommon. Rocky slopes, flats.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.