Scrub oak is a common name for several species of small, shrubby

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

s. It may refer to: *the Chaparral plant community in California, or to one of the following species.

In California

*California scrub oak (''

Quercus berberidifolia ''Quercus berberidifolia'', the California scrub oak, is a small evergreen or semi-evergreen shrubby oak in the white oak section of ''Quercus''. It is a native of the scrubby hills of California, and is a common member of chaparral ecosystems ...

''), a widespread species commonly referred to as scrub oak *Coastal scrub oak (''

Quercus dumosa ''Quercus dumosa'' is a species of plant in the family Fagaceae, belonging to the white oak section of the oak genus (''Quercus''). This tree goes by the common names coastal sage scrub oak and Nuttall's scrub oak. Description ''Quercus dumosa ...

''), although currently defined in a narrow sense, has been applied to other scrub oaks now considered separate species ;Other California species referred to as "scrub oaks" *Leather oak ('' Quercus durata'') *Tucker oak ('' Quercus john-tuckeri'') *Island scrub oak (''

Quercus pacifica ''Quercus pacifica'' is a species of oak known by the common names island scrub oak, Channel Island scrub oak, and Pacific oak. Description ''Quercus pacifica'' is a shrub or a small tree growing up to in height, or occasionally taller. The l ...

'')

In the Southwestern United States

*Coahuila scrub oak (''

Quercus intricata ''Quercus intricata'', common name dwarf oak, intricate oak or Coahuila scrub oak, is a plant species native to northern Mexico and western Texas. Description ''Quercus intricata'' is an evergreen shrub that reproduces vegetatively, producing la ...

''), in the US, it is reported at only two sites: One in the

Chisos Mountains The Chisos Mountains, also known as the Chisos, are a mountain range located in the Big Bend area of the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, United States. The mountain system covers 40 square miles (104 square km) and is contained entirely within the ...

inside Big Bend National Park, and the other 15 miles SW of Van Horn. *Gambel oak (''

Quercus gambelii ''Quercus gambelii'', with the common name Gambel oak, is a deciduous small tree or large shrub that is widespread in the foothills and lower mountains of western North America. It is also regionally called scrub oak, oak brush, and white oak. ...

'')The hybrid of ''Q. gambelii'' and ''Q. turbinella'' is ''Quercus × pauciloba'', synonym ''Quercus undulata''. *Gray oak (''

Quercus grisea ''Quercus grisea'', commonly known as the gray oak, shin oak or scrub oak, is a North American species deciduous or evergreen shrub or medium-sized tree in the white oak group. It is native to the mountains of the southwestern United States and ...

''), in the mountains of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. *Emory oak (''

Quercus emoryi ''Quercus emoryi'', the Emory oak, is a species of oak common in Arizona (including inside Saguaro National Park), New Mexico and western Texas (including inside Big Bend National Park), United States, and northern Mexico ( Sonora, Chihuahua, ...

'') *Pungent oak (''

Quercus pungens ''Quercus pungens'', commonly known as the sandpaper oak or scrub oak, is a North American species evergreen or sub-evergreen shrub or small tree in the white oak group. There is one recognised variety, ''Quercus pungens var. vaseyana'', the Vas ...

'') *Sonoran scrub oak (''

Quercus turbinella ''Quercus turbinella'' is a North American species of oak known by the common names shrub oak, turbinella oak, shrub live oak, and gray oak. It is native to Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Nevada in the western United State ...

'')

In the Northeastern United States

*Bear oak (''

Quercus ilicifolia ''Quercus ilicifolia'', commonly known as bear oak or scrub oak, is a small shrubby oak native to the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Its range extends in the United States from Maine to North Carolina, with reports of a few popula ...

'') *Britton's Oak (''Quercus ×brittonii''), a hybrid of Bear oak (''

'') and Blackjack oak (''

Quercus marilandica ''Quercus marilandica'', the blackjack oak, is a small oak, one of the red oak group ''Quercus'' sect. ''Lobatae''. It is native to the eastern and central United States. Description ''Quercus marilandica'' is a small deciduous tree growing t ...

'') *Dwarf Chinkapin (''

Quercus prinoides ''Quercus prinoides'', commonly known as dwarf chinkapin oak, dwarf chinquapin oak, dwarf chestnut oak or scrub chestnut oak, is a shrubby, clone-forming oak native to central-eastern North America. Description The dwarf chinkapin oak is a ...

''), distribution extends to Midwest and South-Central U.S.

In the Southeastern United States

*Chapman oak (''

Quercus chapmanii ''Quercus chapmanii'', commonly referred to as the Chapman oak, is a species of oak that grows in the southeastern United States. Description ''Quercus chapmanii'' is a shrub or small tree occasionally reaching a height of 6 meters (20 feet) bu ...

'') *Myrtle oak (''

Quercus myrtifolia ''Quercus myrtifolia'', the myrtle oak, is a North American species of oak. It is native to the southeastern United States (Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina). It is often found in coastal areas on sandy soils. It is an eve ...

'') *Sandhill oak (''

Quercus inopina ''Quercus inopina'', the sandhill oak, is an uncommon North American species of oak shrub. It has been found only in the state of Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to ...

'') *Sand live oak (''

Quercus geminata ''Quercus geminata'', commonly called sand live oak, is an evergreen oak tree native to the coastal regions of the subtropical southeastern United States, along the Atlantic Coast from southern Florida northward to southeastern Virginia and al ...

'') *Turkey oak (''

Quercus laevis ''Quercus laevis'', the turkey oak, is a member of the red oak group of oaks. It is native to the southeastern United States. The name turkey oak derives from the resemblance of the leaves to a turkey's foot. A Turkish and southern European sp ...

'') See also

Florida scrub Florida sand pine scrub is an endangered subtropical forest ecoregion found throughout Florida in the United States. It is found on coastal and inland sand ridges and is characterized by an evergreen xeromorphic plant community dominated by shrub ...

Europe

*Kermes oak (''

Quercus coccifera ''Quercus coccifera'', the kermes oak, is an oak bush in the ''Ilex'' section of the genus. It is native to the Mediterranean region and Northern African Maghreb, south to north from Morocco to France and west to east from Portugal to Cyprus an ...

'') *Gall oak (

Quercus lusitanica ''Quercus lusitanica'', commonly known as gall oak, Lusitanian oak, or dyer's oak, is a species of oak native to Portugal, Spain ( Galicia and western Andalucia) and Morocco. ''Quercus lusitanica'' is the source of commercial nutgalls. These gal ...

)

Others

*Santa Cruz Island oak (''

Quercus parvula ''Quercus parvula'', the Santa Cruz Island oak, is an evergreen red oak (Series ''Agrifoliae'', Section '' Lobatae'') found on north-facing Santa Cruz Island slopes and in the California Coast Ranges from Santa Barbara County north to Mendocino C ...

'') Quercus {{Plant common name