Buy Quercus agrifolia

This wonderful oak, also known as the coastal live oak, has dark green, spiny, holly-like leaves and is native to the coast ranges of California. One of the fastest growing of the native oaks, this picturesque 30-80' evergreen becomes a handsome wide-spreading shade tree. It is the only California native oak that truly flourishes in the coastal environment and it is the prevailing overstory plant of the coastal woodland habitat. Usually found growing in the well drained soils of coastal hills and grasslands. This oak is a food plant for the handsome California Sister butterfly. Native Americans are known to have used these acorns as a major food source. S/M-D

This stately drought resistant evergreen tree grows from 40 to 100 feet tall and has more wildlife associated with it that any other tree in California! Several deep main roots tap groundwater if present to a depth of 36 feet and develops an extensive horizontal root branches and surface-feeding root system. Great for stabilizing a slope. This tree has beautiful gray, fissured bark, and is a good choice for a shade tree. Remember, it is important not to water oaks in the summer. Native to California also found outside of California, but is confined to western North America. Several cavity-nesting birds use coast live oak for nesting. *The most serious threat to coast live oak, other oaks, is sudden oak death disease. Native Americans planted coast live oaks to harvest the acorns as food. Found in lower-elevation oak woodlands. Communitites located in Mixed Evergreen Forest, Foothill Woodland, Southern Oak Woodland Between 0 and 4921 feet .

Most common and best-known of the Southern California oaks. A medium to large evergreen tree growing 25-60' tall with a broad, dense dome-shaped crown 40-70' wide. Its short trunk divides into several massive crooked branches with deep gray bark either smooth or broken into small plates on old trunks. Thick, dark dull-green leaves are curled and have prickly-toothed edges. Foliage appears to be evergreen, but falls when new leaves form in spring. May drop some leaves when stressed. Acorns are long, narrow and brown and appear in autumn. Live oak is resistant to heat, cold, drought, and is one of the fastest growing of the native oaks. Tolerant of shade, and does well in dry, loamy or gravelly soils. Growth tends to be stunted on exposed seashore sites. Collected in 1791 by the Malaspina Expedition. The tree under which Padre Junipero Serra said his first mass in California. Its wood was harvested and sold as fuel for early coastal steamers. Occasional to infrequent water once established. Hardy to 10F. California Coast Ranges, San Francisco Bay south to Baja.