Quercus garryana var. garryana
Oregon oak
(c) John Rusk, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fagaceae · Type: Tree · Native
Quercus garryana var. garryana (Oregon oak) is a native California tree in the Fagaceae family, recognized by tree form and deeply lobed leaves distinctive.
Oregon oak is a California native tree found in northwestern California, central California Ranges, San Francisco Bay Area, and southern coastal ranges in mixed-evergreen and conifer forest slopes at elevations of 90 to 2,140 meters. Flowering from April to June, this oak produces pale green to yellowish flowers in small, clustered catkins. Growing to heights of 10 to 25 meters with a broad, spreading canopy, it develops dense, yellowish to white-haired terminal buds that are fusiform in shape. Its leaves are broadly lobed, 7 to 14 centimeters long, with irregular rounded edges that provide a distinctive textured appearance. The tree forms acorns characteristic of its genus, providing important wildlife habitat in its native woodland ecosystems.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 24 sympatric species; tree form and deeply lobed leaves distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Slopes, mixed-evergreen or conifer forest
Elevation: 90-2140 m
California counties: Napa, Humboldt, Shasta, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Trinity, Marin, Del Norte, Amador, Sonoma, San Luis Obispo, Lake, Fresno, Modoc, Tulare, Colusa, Tehama, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Santa Clara, Monterey
Outside California: to British Columbia
Bloom period
Quercus garryana var. garryana 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. garryana native to California?
Yes. Quercus garryana var. garryana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Quercus garryana var. garryana bloom?
Quercus garryana var. garryana blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Quercus garryana var. garryana grow?
Quercus garryana var. garryana occurs in Napa, Humboldt, Shasta, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Trinity, Marin, Del Norte and other counties, at elevations of 90-2140 m.
What plant family does Quercus garryana var. garryana belong to?
Quercus garryana var. garryana is in the Fagaceae family, genus Quercus.
What habitat does Quercus garryana var. garryana grow in?
Quercus garryana var. garryana grows in Slopes, mixed-evergreen or conifer forest.
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.