No, it isn’t an epithet for poor, fatherless trees. It’s not even something you call your husband when you find him having an affair with a tree nymph. It’s the actual name for a tree native to Texas.

(For the record, I would never call our oak tree a bastard. We heart our trees.)

To be fair, the most common name for the Bastard Oak is Lacey Oak, which is much more dignified and curiously much more feminine. Actually, that name comes from Howard Lacey, who was the first person to collect specimens from the tree in Kerrville, Texas, on his home property.

It’s also known as the Canyon Oak, Rock Oak, Smoky Oak, and Mountain Oak—all of which seem much better than the alternative.

The Lacey Oak (as we will henceforth refer to the Bastard as…) is a perennial tree and a member of the Fagaceae family. It likes to grow in the rockiest of areas, particularly in limestone. The South Texas Plains and the Edwards Plateau are two places the tree can be frequently found. The biggest known Lacey Oak can be found in Blanco County. Other places the tree can be found include the Mexican states of Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, and Coahuila.

Lacey Oaks grow best when planted with ash and basswood trees. They require partial shade and a dry climate. Propagation occurs from the tree’s seed.

Growing up to 45 feet in height, the tree can be pretty big—up to a foot and a half in diameter—or much thinner as a short shrub. The tree features two to five-inch leaves in length that are up to two inches wide. The leaves are lobed, as you’ll find on most oak trees, and feature clusters of one to two acorns. In the spring and fall, the leaves are a rich peach hue, while summer finds the tree dark-blue and smoky gray-green. Blooming in the springtime, the Lace Oak produces acorns during the fall.

While the tree has no commercial value and not much ornamental value (perhaps that’s where it got the name—as in, poor bastard?), it is sometimes used as a fuel source. It’s also considered highly valuable to the animals who call it home and food. Its leaves provide sustenance for white-tailed deer and livestock, while its acorns are enjoyed by birds, deer, squirrels, and other small mammals. Birds also call it home.