Laurel Oak vs Sand Laurel Oak

These two oaks are frequently confused due to a similar leaf shape, overall appearance, and wide overlap in range. They can be told apart by close examination of their leaves, and sometimes other characteristics. Their habitats are also mostly non-overlapping; Q. laurifolia is usually limited to moist bottomland sites, whereas Q. hemisphaerica is usually found on dry upland sites.

Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia)	Sand Laurel Oak (Quercus hemisphaerica)
Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia) A bottomland oak of the southeastern United States.	Sand Laurel Oak (Quercus hemisphaerica)
Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia) Hair, if present on buds, is concentrated at the tip. Photo © Doug Goldman, CC BY 4.0.	Sand Laurel Oak (Quercus hemisphaerica) Hair, if present on buds, is concentrated along the scale margins. Photo © Doug Goldman, CC BY 4.0.

References & External Resources

These short lists show only links helpful for ID. For a complete list of references and resources also covering other aspects of ecology, visit the links section of the full article on each plant, which is the first entry here.