Quercus garryana var. breweri
Brewer's oak
(c) John Rusk, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fagaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Quercus garryana var. breweri (Brewer's oak) is a native California shrub in the Fagaceae family, recognized by shrubby habit and high elevation separate from var. garryana.
Brewer's oak is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, and central Coast Ranges (northwestern San Luis Obispo County) in mountain slopes, conifer forest, and maritime chaparral at elevations of 1,400 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces pale yellow to green flowers in small clusters. Growing as a spreading shrub with multiple trunks 2 to 4 meters tall, it has distinctively textured branches with sparse brown terminal buds. Its leaves are 5 to 9 centimeters long, with a distinctive stellate hair pattern on the underside, creating a soft, textured surface with 4 to 6 ray-like hairs. The plant forms a complex, multi-trunked structure that provides unique architectural interest in its native mountain habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 19 sympatric species; shrubby habit and high elevation separate from var. garryana
Habitat and range
Habitat: Mountain slopes, conifer forest, maritime chaparral
Elevation: (150)1400-2000 m
California counties: Lake, Kern, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Nevada, Los Angeles, Mendocino, Tulare, San Luis Obispo, Merced, Butte, Del Norte, Tuolumne, Plumas, Glenn, Humboldt, El Dorado, Placer, Trinity, Amador, Fresno, Mariposa, Colusa, Yuba, Calaveras, Madera
Outside California: to Oregon
Bloom period
Quercus garryana var. breweri blooms Apr-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Prunus: Quercus has acorns in cups; cherries/plums have fleshy round fruits.; vs Notholithocarpus: Quercus has drooping catkins; tanoak has upright flower spikes.; vs Rhamnus: Quercus has acorns; buckthorns have berry-like fruits.; vs Ceanothus: Quercus has acorns; California lilacs have small capsule fruits.; vs Platanus: Quercus has acorns; sycamores have hanging ball-shaped seed clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Quercus garryana var. breweri native to California?
Yes. Quercus garryana var. breweri is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Quercus garryana var. breweri bloom?
Quercus garryana var. breweri blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Quercus garryana var. breweri grow?
Quercus garryana var. breweri occurs in Lake, Kern, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Nevada, Los Angeles, Mendocino and other counties, at elevations of (150)1400-2000 m.
What plant family does Quercus garryana var. breweri belong to?
Quercus garryana var. breweri is in the Fagaceae family, genus Quercus.
What habitat does Quercus garryana var. breweri grow in?
Quercus garryana var. breweri grows in Mountain slopes, conifer forest, maritime chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.