Native Plant of the Month: Scrub Oak
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California is home to over 20 species of oak, which we highlighted in a previous article. This includes the towering valley oak, which can grow up to 100 feet tall, as well as our ubiquitous and majestic coast live oak. But did you know we have a variety of small, shrub-like oaks as well?
The most widespread of these smaller oaks is the California scrub oak (Quercus berberidifolia). Unlike the more well-known valley and coast live oaks, the scrub oak is a large shrub or small tree that only grows to around 15 feet tall at maturity. Their spiny leaves stay green year-round and they produce adorable, round acorns in late summer.
Growing Scrub Oak at Home
The relatively small size of scrub oaks makes them great for smaller yards. They love sunny conditions and are often found in chaparral ecosystems with dry and nutrient-poor soil.
Despite their diminutive stature, scrub oaks provide equally enormous benefits for wildlife as their more massive cousins. The round acorns of scrub oak are a critical source of food for local wildlife, and numerous butterflies and moths feast on their leaves in their larval stage. They are frequently decorated with an assortment of whimsical galls, including the beaked twig gall, which are formed when special species of wasps lay their eggs within the leaves or stems of the tree.
Where to Find Scrub Oak
Our nursery grows native plants including scrub oak using acorns carefully sourced from local watersheds. See our latest inventory for online sales here:
We are also selling plants online for in-person pickup at the CNPS Seed and Cutting Exchange on Sunday, January 21st, which will be held at the Peninsula Conservation Center in Palo Alto. You can check our inventory at the link above and email your requested plants to nursery-sales@grassrootsecology.org. If you’d like to pick up at the Seed and Cutting Exchange, please specify so in your email.
References
By Stanley Gu, Ecologist
