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Quercus garryana
Quercus garryana Douglas ex Hook.
Oregon White Oak
Fagaceae (Beech Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: QUGA4
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
An intricately branched, deciduous oak, usually 25-65 ft. high. Stout, spreading branches form a wide, round crown. Bark is white and scaly. Leathery leaves are oblong, with round lobes, and are green on top, dull beneath. Tree with dense, rounded, spreading crown of stout branches; sometimes shrubby.
The oak of greatest commercial importance in the West, this species is used for furniture, shipbuilding, construction, cabinetwork, interior finish, and fuel. It is the only native oak in Washington and British Columbia. The sweetish acorns, often common in alternate years, are relished by livestock and wildlife and were eaten by Indians. Planted for shade and ornament, it resembles the eastern White Oak (Quercus alba L.).
From the Image Gallery
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Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Venation: Pinnate
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious
Inflorescence: Catkin
Fruit Type: Nut
Size Notes: Up to about 65 feet tall.
Leaf: Green
Autumn Foliage: yes
Fruit: Brown
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Yellow , Green , BrownBloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Distribution
USA: CA , OR , WACanada: BC
Native Distribution: S.w. B.C., s. (chiefly w. of the Cascades) to Marin Co., CA
Native Habitat: Dry, wooded slopes & prairies
Growing Conditions
Water Use: LowLight Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: None
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Dry, gravelly soils.
Benefit
Use Wildlife: Provides food and cover to deer, small mammals, and birds.Use Food: EDIBLE PARTS: Acorns (nuts) are edible after tannins are leached or boiled out.. (Poisonous Plants of N.C.)
Warning: POISONOUS PARTS: Acorns (seeds of nuts) and young leaves. Low toxicity if eaten. Symptoms include stomach pain, constipation and later bloody diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination.
Attracts: Birds
Propagation
Description: Oaks are most often propagated from seed. No pretreatment is necessary. Plant immediately‚ outdoors or in deep containers to accommodate long initial taproot. Many oaks require cold temperatures to initiate shoot development. Protect outdoor beds with wire mesh to deter rodents.Seed Collection: Best quality acorns are picked or shaken from the tree. Collect when color has changed to brown. Best if sown immediately as acorns lose viability quickly in storage. Short-term storage in moist, shaded saw dust or sand. Acorns to be sown immediately can be soaked in hot water for 15 min. to prevent weevil infestation. Stored seed should be fumigated with methyl bromide.
Commercially Avail: yes
Find Seed or Plants
Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.
National Wetland Indicator Status
| Region: | AGCP | AK | AW | CB | EMP | GP | HI | MW | NCNE | WMVE |
| Status: | UPL | FACU |
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
Web Reference
Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) CalfloraWebref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Quercus garryana in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Quercus garryana in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Quercus garryana
Metadata
Record Modified: 0000-00-00Research By: TWC Staff