Kruckeberg Plant of the Month

Plant name: Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides 

Plant location: In the meadow

The shrubby serpentine variety of the tanbark oak, Lithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides is a charming shrub for any sunny dry landscape. A naturally occurring dwarf variety of shrub tanbark oak, this plant will never get taller than 10 feet. Young leaves are covered in small fuzzy hairs and its unique inflorescence adds an interesting texture to the summer garden landscape.

Our specimen is growing in the small serpentine bed in the meadow. KBGF staff collected some cuttings of this plant during our trip to the Siskiyous in 2013 to grow in the garden.