Bear or scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia) is a small tree or shrub, 12-20 ft. tall with a short, contorted trunk; slender, horizontal branches; and bristle-lobed leaves turning reddish-purple in fall. Catkins appear just before or with the appearance of new leaves.

It is a larval host for the eastern buckmoth (Hemileuca maia), sleepy duskwing butterfly (Erynnis brizo), and many other rare or endangered Lepidoptera species in southern New England, and provides shelter for a diverse range of insects. Its bitter acorns, as well as stems and foliage, are an essential food source for wildlife, including squirrels, deer, birds, and bears, hence the name.