Joining a select list of trees, the Mexican White Oak was named a Texas Superstar Plant in September of 2023.
According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Quercus polymorpha, Mexican White Oak or Monterrey Oak, is becoming more available in the nursery trade because it is โan excellent shade tree and is tolerant to the extremes of the Texas environment.โ
5 Reasons to Grow a Monterrey Oak
The Mexican White Oak has many traits that make it attractive to gardeners in this area. Keep Austin Green notes that:
1. This oak grows rapidly โ 2.5 to 4 feet in one year (depending on conditions) and reaches a height of 40 feet. It can live to be 100 years old.
2. Much like the Live Oak tree, the Mexican White Oak is almost evergreen, meaning it holds on to its foliage until late winter or early spring.
3. The tree is well-adapted to various soils and has proven to be drought tolerant.
4. It is resistant to pests and diseases, although according to the Texas Superstar site, the โrelative susceptibility . . . to oak wilt has not been fully documentedโ.
5. The Mexican White Oak requires minimum care. Once established, the tree requires little pruning or thinning. They will survive with occasional rain.
A Little History
The tree is widespread in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras, but Mike Arnold, Ph.D., researcher with Texas A&M AgriLife Research, notes that plant explorers found a single tree population near the Devilโs River in โVal Verde County in the 1990โs,โ so both Texas and Mexico can claim the tree as native.
The tree is labeled โpolymorphaโ because it can take many forms. The leaves can have slightly different shapes and it can have a single or multi-trunk shape.
Growing a Mexican White Oak
While this oak tree is a relative newcomer to the Texas nursery trade, Dr. Arnold says that it has โproven to be a great addition as a shade tree because it can tolerate hot, dry, windy conditions.โ It can take both Texas heat and the winters in zone 7 through 10.
The tree prefers a sunny to mostly sunny location. It does best in well-drained, even rocky soil. If you have clay soil, be careful about over-watering.
Plant in cool weather, preferably in December or January. Since it is a native/adapted species, fertilizer should be used sparingly.
Tree Aesthetics Are Important Also
AgriLife TODAY notes that the Mexican White Oak has many factors that make it appealing.
1. The tree has a โrich, dense canopy of green and hues of blueโ.
2. The new growth that appears in the spring has a peachy color.
3. The leaves have variable lobes, and the lobes become less serrated as the tree matures.
4. They have a well-proportioned canopy with a spread that is typically two-thirds the height and an upright oval form.
5. It matures into a medium-sized tree thatโs perfect for shading streets, parks and gardensโ and produces medium-sized acorns that provide food for wildlife.
6. The trees can be found on the campuses of both Texas A&M at College Station Texas and The University of Texas-Austin.
Availability
Because it is relatively new to the landscape scene, the Mexican White Oak may not be available in local nurseries. I purchased my Quercus polymorpha at the John Fairey Garden located in the Hempstead area.
When I searched online for Mexican White Oaks for sale, several sites in the state came up that offered trees for sale. My search may provide a good reason to take a field trip!
