Quercus agrifolia Née Coast live oak
Coast live oak is native to the west coast of North America. Identification: These evergreens reach 20-82′ (6-25 m), with trunks up to 4′ (1.2 m) around, and may live up to 250 years. Trunks are short and the crowns are wide. Bark is smooth and gray-brown when the tree is young, becoming darker and somewhat furrowed later. Leaves are dark green, thick, glossy, oval in shape, alternate, edged with sharp fibers. They remind me a little of holly leaves. They are ¾-2½″ (2-7 cm) × ⅜-1½″ (1-4 cm). Male flowers are catkins 1¾-4″ (5-10 cm) long. Female flowers are ⅛″ (5 mm) long, in clusters of one to three, barely noticeable. Acorns are 1-1½″ (2.5-3.8 cm) long and ⅜-½″ (1-1.5 cm) wide, conical in shape. Acorn production is not consistent. See the Quercus comparison table.Online References:
The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database The Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation References:
Sibley, David Allen, The Sibley Guide to Trees, Alfred A. Knopf, 2009, p. 202
Quercus agrifolia description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 11 Jul 2023. |
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