Laurel Oak

Quercus laurifolia

native · Central Texas

Laurel Oak is a tree native to Central Texas that grows 40–80 ft tall and 40 ft wide. It wants full sun or part shade and medium water, and handles clay soil. Blooms yellow in early spring. Evergreen — it holds its leaves through winter. Good for birds, caterpillars and small mammals.

Wet ground only. Usually found in wetlands and creek bottoms. It wants reliably moist ground and struggles in a dry upland bed.

Will it grow in your yard?

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The facts

4 sources

Type: Tree
Sun: Full sun to part shade (3–7 hrs of direct sun)
Water: Medium
Height: 40–80 ft
Spread: 40 ft
Bloom: Early Spring · yellow
Foliage: Evergreen
Soil: Takes clay · recorded on clay, loam, moist, sand, well drained
Wildlife: Supports birds, caterpillars and small mammals

Where it grows

Recorded in this EPA Level IV ecoregion in the Austin and Hill Country launch area:

Floodplains and Low Terraces

Can you buy it?

Also grows here — hard to find. Native and recorded growing in Central Texas, but not on the grower stock lists we read. Sourcing varies: some are stocked widely, others you will have to hunt for.

also grows from seed It starts readily from seed, so a packet from a native-seed supplier, or seed collected with permission, is often the easiest way to get a plant no nursery pots.