South American oak, Colombian oak
Quercus humboldtii

Family: Fagaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It grows 25 m tall. The trunk can be 1 m across. It has buttresses 1 m tall. The bark is red to grey and cracked. The leaves are simple and alternate. They are sword shaped and 10-20 cm long. They are in clusters at the ends of branches. They are wedge shaped at the base. They are dark green above and more pale underneath. The flowers are small and yellow. The fruit are light brown oval acorns in a leathery cup. They are 5-7 cm long by 2-2.5 cm wide.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, South America, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The acorns are bitter and need repeated boiling to remove the bitterness.

Edible parts

Nuts, acorns

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Querus almaguerensis Bonpl.; Quercus humoldtii Kotschy ex A. DC.; and others