European Turkey Oak

Named for the country (not the bird), the Turkey oak is native to Europe and Western Asia. It is rugged and stately with glossy leaves, but is rarely found outside of parks and botanical gardens in the U.S. That said, it is a good city tree that is tolerant of drought, poor soil, cold, and air pollution. The Turkey oak's acorns are very tannic but — quite frankly — adorable. They are long and turn a burnished deep brown and sport a bristly cap reminiscent of a hat from Dior's New Look collection in the 1950s. The leaves of the European Turkey oak are highly variable in shape and size, but are always very glossy, and during summer, deeply green.