Chrysolepis chrysophylla
Giant chinquapin
(c) Stephen Sikes, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Stephen Sikes · licence
Family: Fagaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Chrysolepis chrysophylla (Giant chinquapin) is a native California shrub / tree in the Fagaceae family.
Giant chinquapin is a California native shrub found in western mountain ranges, typically growing in mixed conifer and oak woodlands at elevations of 300 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces creamy white to yellow flowers in small clusters. Growing as a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree up to 30 meters tall with a distinctive conic top, it develops a thick, rough, deeply furrowed bark. Its leaves are dark green on top and golden underneath, measuring 5 to 15 centimeters long, with a tapered base and an abruptly long-pointed tip. The fruit is a spiny bur 3 to 5 centimeters in diameter, containing a single nut 6 to 15 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated species with no sympatric congeners
Habitat and range
California counties: Marin, Humboldt, San Mateo, Monterey, Mendocino, Trinity, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Alameda, El Dorado, Plumas, Del Norte, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Napa, Lake, Sierra, Contra Costa
How to tell it apart
vs Quercus: Chrysolepis nuts are completely enclosed in spiny burs; oak acorns sit in open cups.; vs Notholithocarpus: Chrysolepis has spiny burs enclosing nuts; tanoak has cup-scaled acorns like oaks.; vs Frangula: Chrysolepis has spiny burrs with nuts; Frangula has smooth berry-like fruits.; vs Castanopsis: Both have spiny burs, but Castanopsis doesn't occur wild in California.; vs Heteromeles: Chrysolepis has spiny burs; toyon has clusters of red berries.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chrysolepis chrysophylla native to California?
Yes. Chrysolepis chrysophylla is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Chrysolepis chrysophylla grow?
Chrysolepis chrysophylla occurs in Marin, Humboldt, San Mateo, Monterey, Mendocino, Trinity, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou and other counties.
What plant family does Chrysolepis chrysophylla belong to?
Chrysolepis chrysophylla is in the Fagaceae family, genus Chrysolepis.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.