Quercus sadleriana
Deer oak
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Family: Fagaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Quercus sadleriana (Deer oak) is a native California shrub in the Fagaceae family, recognized by unique serrated leaves with many parallel veins in Klamath region.
Deer oak is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges in open, rocky slopes, ridges, and conifer forest at elevations of 600 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from April to June, this evergreen shrub produces small, inconspicuous flowers typical of oak species. Growing 1 to 3 meters tall with glabrous twigs, it forms a dense, rounded shape with distinctive foliage. Its leaves are elliptic to oblong-obovate, 7 to 11 centimeters long, with a shiny green upper surface and pale green undersides marked by 20 to 28 prominent straight lateral veins and finely serrated edges with 20 to 32 teeth. The shrub produces acorn cups 10 to 18 millimeters wide, with nuts 15 to 20 millimeters long that mature in the first year.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 13 sympatric species; unique serrated leaves with many parallel veins in Klamath region
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, rocky slopes, ridges, conifer forest
Elevation: 600-2200 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity, Shasta
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Quercus sadleriana 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 sadleriana native to California?
Yes. Quercus sadleriana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Quercus sadleriana bloom?
Quercus sadleriana blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Quercus sadleriana grow?
Quercus sadleriana occurs in Siskiyou, Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity, Shasta, at elevations of 600-2200 m.
What plant family does Quercus sadleriana belong to?
Quercus sadleriana is in the Fagaceae family, genus Quercus.
What habitat does Quercus sadleriana grow in?
Quercus sadleriana grows in Open, rocky slopes, ridges, 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.