Texas live oak

Quercus fusiformis (also often referred to as Q. virginiana var. fusiformis), commonly known as escarpment live oak, plateau live oak, plateau oak, or Texas live oak, is an semi-evergreen/tardily deciduous tree. Its native range includes the Quartz Mountains and Wichita Mountains in southwestern Oklahoma, through Texas (approximately from the Brazos River west up to the Pecos River and the southern Llano Estacado), to the Mexican states of Coahuila, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo León.

Quercus fusiformis is an evergreen tree in the southern live oaks section of the genus Quercus (section Virentes). It is distinguished from Quercus virginiana (southern live oak) most easily by the acorns, which are slightly larger and with a more pointed apex. It is also a smaller tree, not exceeding 1 metre (40 inches) in trunk diameter – compared to 2.5 m (75 in) in diameter in southern live oak – with more erect branching and a less wide crown. Like Q. virginiana, its magnificent, stately form and unparalleled longevity has endeared it to generations of residents throughout its native range. Its low hanging branches are a favorite for local children to climb and play in.