Scientific Name
Quercus ilicifolia
Bear oak is a small tree native to the northeastern United States, especially the mountainous areas of New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, where it often takes on a multi-stemmed, shrubby form. It is known to reach a maximum height of about 20 feet, but more often develops to only half or even a quarter of that size. It is a relatively short-lived, rhizomatous species that pioneers in disturbed areas. Its thick roots enable it to grow back quickly after the top is burned or otherwise destroyed, which can lead to the formation of clonal thickets that outlive the original plant.
The leaves of this oak are relatively small compared to most other oaks, sometimes only 2 inches long, and they often have only a few shallow lobes. As a member of the red oak group, the leaves display bristle tips. Fall color on the Regis specimen has so far been orange. The acorns, though tannin-rich and bitter, are eaten by squirrels, turkeys, raccoons and deer, and they appear to be a favorite of bears preparing for hibernation, which likely explains the tree’s common name.
Bear oak can be somewhat finicky, preferring acidic soil and showing low tolerance for shade. Combined with its relatively short life span and consistently small stature, it is seldom used in urban horticulture. In fact, we are not aware of another bear oak growing in Colorado. Its presence in the Regis Arboretum is partly an experiment to determine whether it can thrive here, but also to demonstrate the remarkable variation within Quercus, the oak genus, which contains approximately 500 species. New species are still being discovered.