Quercus hemisphaerica


Quercus hemisphaerica is a species of oak native to the southeastern and south-central United States, from Texas to Delaware. It is in the red oak section Quercus sect. Lobatae. It is often confused with and closely related to the Quercus laurifolia in which it differs in several key characteristics.
Quercus hemisphaerica is a medium-sized evergreen to semi-evergreen tree which can grow as tall as 115 feet tall with a 5-foot trunk diameter, although it is more commonly around 60 to 65 feet tall. The leaves are entire, without teeth except one apical awn, mostly elliptical or narrowly ovate, and 1.2 to 4.7 inches long by 0.4 to 1.6 inches wide. The petiole is very short ranging from 1/25 to 1/5 of an inch long and the leaf base is obtuse to rounded. The acorna are hemispheric in shape and 0.35 to 0.6 inches by 0.35 to 0.6 inches. The acorns take 18 months to mature and are 1/4 to 1/3 covered by a saucer to bowl shaped cap.
It grows in somewhat xeric sandy soils, sand hills, and sometimes on hillsides.
There is at least one known hybrid involving Quercus hemisphaerica which is with Q. laevis.

Key differences between sand laurel oak and swamp laurel oak