About Quercus glauca Thunb.
Quercus glauca Thunb. is a small to medium-sized evergreen broadleaf tree that reaches 15–20 meters in height. Newly grown leaves are distinctly deep purple-crimson, and soon turn glossy green on their upper surface, with a glaucous blue-green color on their lower surface. They measure 60–130 mm long and 20–50 mm broad, with serrated margins. This species produces catkin flowers, and its fruit are acorns 1–1.6 cm long. The acorn cup has a series of concentric rings on its outer surface, placing Quercus glauca in the "ring-cupped oak" sub-genus. It is cultivated as an ornamental tree in regions of Europe and North America that have mild winters. Its acorns are edible: when dried and ground into powder, they can be mixed with cereals and used as flour, while roasted acorns can serve as a coffee substitute. The wood of Quercus glauca is valued as fuelwood, and deer find its leaves and stems very palatable.
