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Florida 4-H Forest Ecology

Florida 4-H Forest Ecology

Identifying Characteristics

Habitat: Bluejack oak grows on well-drained sandy soils in pine sandhill and dry hardwood hammock communities.
Size/Form: Bluejack oak is a small tree that only reaches heights of 30' to 50'. It is often shrubby, with an irregular crown and short, crooked trunk.
Bark: The grayish black bark is thick with blocky furrows and rough ridges.
Leaves: The leaves are simple, alternately arranged, and may persist on the tree until spring. The leaves are 3" to 5" long by ½" to 1" wide. The oblong or narrowly elliptical shaped leaves usually have a bluish gray, leathery upper surface. The underneath surface is whitish gray with wooly fuzz. The leaf base and tip are rounded, but there is a single, prickly bristle on the tip. The margin is smooth.
Fruit: The acorns are ½" to ¾" long. The cap covers 1/2 to 1/3 of the acorn. Acorns mature in two growing seasons.