Emory Oak is a semi-evergreen to evergreen oak of the sky island mountains of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, dominant in the oak woodland zone between the desert grasslands and pine forests. Its small, holly-like leaves are retained year-round, and it produces very sweet black acorns ('bellotas') that were a primary food staple for the Apache, O'odham, and many other Indigenous peoples of the Southwest. The tree is ecologically keystone for wildlife in a region with few other hard mast producers.
Best time to see a Emory Oak
The best time to see a Emory Oak is January–July, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 2,666 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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