Quercus castanea

Widely distributed in Mexico, this evergreen oak is capable of reaching 15m or more in its homeland. Here it is a great rarity as yet, but appears to enjoy our climate and has reached 8m at Kew. Foliage is leathery, emerges deep-red and turns glossy dark-green with deeply impressed veins and reaches up to 15cm long with shallow, forward pointing lobes, grey-white beneath.