Escarpment Live Oak
Quercus fusiformis
Last reviewed: October 2026
Escarpment Live Oak (Quercus fusiformis) is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for dogs or cats (aspca.org (opens in new tab), last reviewed 2026-05-21). If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
240"–720" H × 120"–480" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May
Native to
OK, TX
Pollinators
butterflies
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
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The Escarpment Live Oak is a sturdy, drought-tolerant native tree that provides excellent shade and year-round green foliage. This Texas native can grow quite large over time, developing a distinctive rounded canopy that makes it a classic choice for larger properties.
In an HOA neighborhood
Escarpment Live Oak takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Works well in: backyard only.
- Tree size exceeds typical HOA-friendly range
- Best suited for backyard or with special approval
Wildlife value
Supports butterflies during its spring bloom period and provides acorns for wildlife. The dense evergreen canopy offers nesting sites and shelter for birds year-round.
Common questions
- How much sun does Escarpment Live Oak need?
- Escarpment Live Oak grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Escarpment Live Oak bloom?
- Escarpment Live Oak blooms in March, April, and May.
- Where is Escarpment Live Oak native?
- Escarpment Live Oak (Quercus fusiformis) is native to OK, TX, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- Is Escarpment Live Oak toxic to dogs?
- Escarpment Live Oak is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for dogs (aspca.org).
- Is Escarpment Live Oak toxic to cats?
- Escarpment Live Oak is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for cats (aspca.org).
- What pollinators does Escarpment Live Oak attract?
- Escarpment Live Oak draws butterflies.
- Is Escarpment Live Oak HOA-friendly?
- Escarpment Live Oak takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Escarpment Live Oak? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.