Scientific Name
Quercus laceyi
Lacey oak’s native habitat occupies a relatively small area of central and south Texas, known as the Edwards Plateau, along with some areas in northern Mexico. It is also sometimes called Texas blue oak or canyon oak. This is a small- to medium-size tree in the white oak group that is well adapted to very hot, dry summers, making it well suited to Denver’s climate. It is provisionally considered suitable here, and potentially in slightly colder parts of the Front Range, despite being 700 miles or more north of its native range. We have heard of Lacey oaks performing well in this region for many years, but their planting at Regis is still considered somewhat experimental.
The leathery foliage of Lacey oak is small for an oak and is usually shallowly lobed, though unlobed and other shapes may also occur. The leaf color is a bluish green, a trait common among oaks that grow in very hot regions. We estimate that it may reach a height of about 20 feet here. Because the Edwards Plateau is a limestone region, Lacey oak has no trouble growing in rocky, alkaline soils; soils at Regis generally test close to neutral, so the tree should perform well in that regard.
Lacey oak has been identified by the Morton Arboretum as a species of conservation concern. It has not been extensively studied and does not appear in many tree reference books. While it is not currently considered threatened in its native habitat, it may be vulnerable to climate change because of its limited natural distribution, much of which is on private land. In addition, relatively few botanical collections include this species.
Unusually for a plant in this category, Lacey oak has been propagated to a notable extent for landscaping use in the southwestern United States because of its tolerance for drought and alkaline soils. However, its potential for broader use in urban forestry is only now beginning to be explored.