Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens
Bush interior live oak
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Family: Fagaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens (Bush interior live oak) is a native California shrub / tree in the Fagaceae family, recognized by shrub form with smaller leaves than tree variety.
Bush interior live oak is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Coast Ranges, California Ranges, Sierra Nevada, Tehama County, Sutter Buttes, San Joaquin Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, south Coast Ranges, and southwestern California in valleys and chaparral at elevations of 90 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces small, inconspicuous greenish flowers typical of oak species. Growing as a dense, multi-stemmed shrub 1 to 3 meters tall with a spreading, rounded form, it develops a sturdy woody structure. Its leathery leaves are relatively small, measuring 1.8 to 4 centimeters long, with a dark green surface and thick texture characteristic of live oak species. In its shrub form, this oak provides important habitat and cover for wildlife in California's diverse landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 35 sympatric species; shrub form with smaller leaves than tree variety
Habitat and range
Habitat: Valleys, chaparral
Elevation: 90-2000 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Riverside, San Diego, Tulare, Lake, Napa, Fresno, Monterey, Mendocino, San Bernardino, Orange, Ventura, Shasta, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, Colusa, Tehama, Butte, Marin, Alameda, Solano, Sutter, Contra Costa, Madera, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, El Dorado, Trinity, San Mateo, Mariposa, Amador, Imperial, Yolo, Inyo
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens blooms Mar-May.
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 wislizeni var. frutescens native to California?
Yes. Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens bloom?
Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens grow?
Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens occurs in Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Riverside, San Diego, Tulare, Lake, Napa and other counties, at elevations of 90-2000 m.
What plant family does Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens belong to?
Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens is in the Fagaceae family, genus Quercus.
What habitat does Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens grow in?
Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens grows in Valleys, chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni — Interior live oak
- Quercus ×acutidens
- Quercus agrifolia — Coast live oak
- Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia — California live oak
- Quercus agrifolia var. oxyadenia — Coastal live oak
- Quercus ×alvordiana
- Chrysolepis chrysophylla — Giant chinquapin
- Chrysolepis chrysophylla var. chrysophylla — Giant chinquapin
- Chrysolepis chrysophylla var. minor — Bush chinquapin
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.