Turkey Oak is a small, scrubby oak of the deep sandy soils of the southeastern coastal plain, named for the fancied resemblance of its three-lobed, deeply sinuate leaves to a turkey's foot. It is a hallmark species of longleaf pine sandhills, one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America, where it provides essential habitat structure and acorns for wildlife including the endangered Florida scrub-jay. Despite its small stature, it can live over 200 years on the impoverished white sands it favors.
Habitat
Longleaf pine sandhills, dry sandy soils, coastal plain scrub
Diet
Acorns eaten by Florida scrub-jays, deer, turkeys, gopher tortoises, and squirrels
How common
Common
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