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Quercus tarahumara Spellenb., J.D.Bacon & Breedlove

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Kindly sponsored by
The Trees and Shrubs Online Oak Consortium

The International Dendrology Society, The Wynkcoombe Arboretum, and several private individuals

Credits

New article for Trees and Shrubs Online.

Recommended citation
'Quercus tarahumara' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/quercus/quercus-tarahumara/). Accessed 2026-05-13.

Family

  • Fagaceae

Genus

  • Quercus
  • Subgen. Quercus, Sect. Lobatae

Other taxa in genus

Glossary

convex
Having a rounded surface.
indigenous
Native to an area; not introduced.
raceme
Unbranched inflorescence with flowers produced laterally usually with a pedicel. racemose In form of raceme.
spike
Inflorescence in which flowers sessile on the main axis.

Credits

New article for Trees and Shrubs Online.

Recommended citation
'Quercus tarahumara' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/quercus/quercus-tarahumara/). Accessed 2026-05-13.

Quercus tarahumara

Strking red young growth on Quercus tarahumara at Iturraran Botanic garden, Spain, in May 2015. Image Francisco Garin.

A small tree to 12 m tall and 30 cm dbh, but usually less and often shrubby. Bark very dark, nearly black, cracked and fissured with age. Young shoots very stout, densely yellow-brown tomentose. Leaves very leathery and usually conspicuously convex, broadly obovate to nearly orbicular, to 25 × 27 cm, rounded at the apex, broadly heart shaped at the base. Margin revolute, nearly entire or edged with short, bristle-tipped teeth, sometimes shallowly lobed. They are tomentose on both sides when young, red above and whitish beneath, becoming rather dull olive-green above and nearly glabrous with 7–11 veins on each side of the midrib, yellow-brown tomentose beneath, becoming nearly glabrous. Petiole stout, 1.5–7.5 cm long. Fruits borne on spikes to 3 cm long, cupules hemispherical, to 7 × 11 mm, acorns ovoid, to 14 × 8 mm, about ⅓ included in the cup and ripening the first year. (Spellenberg, Bacon & Breedlove 1995).

Distribution  Mexico Chihuahua, Durango, Sinaloa, Sonora

Habitat From 1,020–2,200 m on igneous and presumably acid, more or less sterile reddish or pale grey epithermically or hydrothermically altered substrate, or on white ashy soil not dramatically altered, along the west slope of the Sierra Madre Occidental.

USDA Hardiness Zone 8

RHS Hardiness Rating H4

Conservation status Least concern (LC)

Taxonomic note This is one of six species of Quercus currently referred to Subsect. Racemiflorae, which are distinguished by having acorns in dense, raceme- or spike-like infructescences. The others are Q. conzattii, Q. huicholensis, Q. pennivenia, Q. radiata, and Q. urbani. The name Q. tarahumara was applied to a population that had mistakenly been treated as Q. pennivenia, from which it is distinguished by its unique short and dense infructescences (McCauley 2021).

Alongside Q. urbani and Q. conzattii, Q. tarahumara is noted for its remarkably thick, convex leaves, which could be used quite satisfactorily as cups for water or food and make these species quite memorable. Two trees at Iturraran Botanic Garden, Spain, were grown from seed collected by Francisco Garin in 2008 on the Sierra Tarahumara, Sonora, Mexico. The largest was 5 m tall in 2021. It also grows at Arboretum Chocha, France where it was about 3.5 m in 2019 (pers. obs. AJC). A young, grafted plant is at Thenford House, Northamptonshire, UK.

In the United States there is a fine young tree at Juniper Level Botanic Garden; obtained from Yucca Do nursery and accessioned in 2006, it was c. 6 m tall in November 2025, having come through winter lows of –13.9°C in 2013–14 and –12.8°C in 2008–09, just a few months after planting. No damage was reported on either occasion (T. Christian & T. Avent, pers. comms. 2026).

The epithet refers to the indigenous people in whose homeland this species grows (Spellenberg, Bacon & Breedlove 1995).

Quercus tarahumara

Strongly convex leaves on Quercus tarahumara at Iturraran Botanic Garden, Spain, in July 2017. Image Francisco Garin.

Quercus tarahumara

Quercus tarahumara acorns are borne on short spikes. Iturraran Botanic Garden, July 2017. Image Francisco Garin.

Quercus tarahumara

Quercus tarahumara leaves are large and distinctly cupped. Arboretum Chocha, France, July 2019. Image Allen Coombes.

Quercus tarahumara

A young Quercus tarahumara at Thenford House, Northamptonshire, UK in September 2021. Image Maricela Rodríguez.

Quercus tarahumara

Quercus tarahumara at Arboretum Chocha, France, in June 2023. Image Béatrice Chassé.

Quercus tarahumara

The young leaves of Quercus tarahumara flushed with bronze. Arboretum Chocha, France, June 2023. Image Béatrice Chassé.

Quercus tarahumara

This young Quercus tarahumara was planted at Plant Delights Nursery, North Carolina, USA in 2008. 3 November 2025. Image Tom Christian.

Quercus tarahumara

John Grimshaw provides (too much) scale (both for the tree and the leaves) of Quercus tarahumara at Plant Delights Nursery, North Carolina, USA in 2008. 3 November 2025. Image Tom Christian.

Quercus tarahumara

A tree of Quercus tarahumara at Arboretum Chocha, France in July 2019 with Michel Duhart. Image Allen Coombes.

Quercus tarahumara

After four years outside Quercus tarahumara endures its first snow at Botanic Treasures, Belgium (10 January 2026). Image Raf Lenaerts.

Quercus tarahumara

Terminal buds on Quercus tarahumara at Plant Delights Nursery, North Carolina, USA in 2008. 3 November 2025. Image Tom Christian.

Quercus tarahumara

Quercus tarahumara leaf undersides at Arboretum Chocha, France, in June 2023. Image Béatrice Chassé.

Quercus tarahumara

Foliage on Quercus tarahumara, showing the convex leaves at Botanic Treasures (Raf Lenaerts), Belgium – from Sierra Tarahumara, Mexico (16 December 2024). Image © Jan De Langhe.

Quercus tarahumara

Leaf arrangement on Quercus tarahumara (Botanic Treasures, Belgium – 16 December 2024). Image © Jan De Langhe.

Quercus tarahumara

At the end of the season Quercus tarahumara shows a denser pubescence compared to Q. urbani (Botanic Treasures, Belgium – 16 December 2024). Image © Jan De Langhe.

Quercus tarahumara

Quercus tarahumara with yellowish pubescence and globoid buds (Botanic Treasures, Belgium – 16 December 2024). Image © Jan De Langhe.

Quercus tarahumara

Quercus tarahumara detail of the pubescent lamina margin (Botanic Treasures, Belgium – 16 December 2024). Image © Jan De Langhe.

Quercus tarahumara

Quercus tarahumara lamina margin densely pubescent lower surface with teeth ending in bristles (Botanic Treasures, Belgium – 16 December 2024). Image © Jan De Langhe.

Quercus tarahumara

Leaf on Quercus tarahumara, with the lamina broadly elliptic (Botanic Treasures, Belgium – 16 December 2024). Image © Jan De Langhe.

Quercus tarahumara

Quercus tarahumara, with the lamina lower surface persisting pubescence (Botanic Treasures, Belgium – 16 December 2024). Image © Jan De Langhe.

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