Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni
Interior live oak
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Family: Fagaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni (Interior live oak) is a native California shrub / tree in the Fagaceae family, recognized by tree form with larger leaves and interior distribution.
Interior live oak is a California native tree found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range foothills, Sierra Nevada forests, southern Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi, Sutter Buttes, San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and eastern Sierra Nevada in interior canyons, slopes, and pine/oak woodlands at elevations below 1,600 meters. Flowering from early February to May, this tree produces small, inconspicuous flowers typical of oak species. Growing as a broad, spreading tree 10 to 25 meters tall with a sturdy, multi-trunked form, it develops a dense, rounded canopy. Its leathery leaves are 2 to 5 centimeters long, dark green and somewhat thick, with smooth to slightly toothed margins. The tree produces acorns that are important food sources for wildlife in California's interior woodland ecosystems.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 32 sympatric species; tree form with larger leaves and interior distribution
Habitat and range
Habitat: Interior canyons, slopes, pine/oak woodland
Elevation: < 1600 m
California counties: Kern, Yolo, Trinity, Madera, Mendocino, San Mateo, Mariposa, Amador, Calaveras, Santa Barbara, Marin, Monterey, Shasta, Santa Clara, El Dorado, Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, Inyo, San Bernardino, Tulare, Placer, San Joaquin, Riverside, Butte, Sacramento, Sonoma, Tuolumne, San Luis Obispo, Contra Costa, Solano, Plumas, Tehama, Yuba, Glenn, Sutter, San Benito, Nevada, Ventura, San Diego, Napa, Fresno, Lake
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni blooms Early Feb-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. wislizeni native to California?
Yes. Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni bloom?
Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni blooms Early Feb-May.
Where in California does Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni grow?
Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni occurs in Kern, Yolo, Trinity, Madera, Mendocino, San Mateo, Mariposa, Amador and other counties, at elevations of < 1600 m.
What plant family does Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni belong to?
Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni is in the Fagaceae family, genus Quercus.
What habitat does Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni grow in?
Quercus wislizeni var. wislizeni grows in Interior canyons, slopes, pine/oak woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Quercus ×acutidens
- Quercus agrifolia — Coast live oak
- Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia — California live oak
- Quercus agrifolia var. oxyadenia — Coastal live oak
- Quercus ×alvordiana
- Quercus berberidifolia — Scrub oak
- Chrysolepis chrysophylla — Giant chinquapin
- Chrysolepis chrysophylla var. chrysophylla — Giant chinquapin
- Chrysolepis chrysophylla var. minor — Bush chinquapin
- Chrysolepis sempervirens — 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.