Palmer oak
Quercus palmeri
Last reviewed: October 2026
Palmer oak (Quercus palmeri) is a perennial shrub native to AZ, CA. It blooms in March and April.
Toxicity unknown
Palmer oak (Quercus palmeri) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
72"–180" H × 96"–240" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr
Native to
AZ, CA
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 459 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
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Browse plants for this ecoregion
A dense, evergreen scrub oak with stiff, spiny, holly-like leaves that form thickets on dry slopes. Some stands are ancient, spreading clonally over long periods on chaparral and desert-edge hillsides.
Growing Palmer oak
Grow Palmer oak in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 72 to 180 inches tall and spread 96 to 240 inches wide.
Wildlife value
Host plant for California sister.
Its foliage is a larval host for the California sister butterfly, and the leaves provide year-round cover for birds.
Common questions
- How much sun does Palmer oak need?
- Palmer oak grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Palmer oak bloom?
- Palmer oak blooms in March and April.
- Where is Palmer oak native?
- Palmer oak (Quercus palmeri) is native to AZ, CA, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What butterflies or moths does Palmer oak host?
- Palmer oak is a larval host plant for California sister.
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 Palmer oak? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.