General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Tree
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Very strongly acid (4.5 – 5.0)
Strongly acid (5.1 – 5.5)
Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0)
Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 8b -9.4 °C (15 °F) to -6.7 °C (20 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 10b
Plant Height: 20-82 feet
Leaves: Evergreen
Fruit: Edible to birds
Other: Slender 1 inch to 1.5 inch green acorn matures to reddish-brown
Fruiting Time: Fall
Other: May persist through winter
Flowers: Inconspicuous
Flower Color: Green
Yellow
Other: Cream
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Flower Time: Late winter or early spring
Spring
Underground structures: Taproot
Uses: Windbreak or Hedge
Shade Tree
Dynamic Accumulator: K (Potassium)
Wildlife Attractant: Birds
Butterflies
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Needs specific temperature: 55ºF-68ºF
Days to germinate: 15-20 days
Pollinators: Wind
Miscellaneous: Monoecious

Image
Common names
  • California Live Oak
  • Encina
  • Oak
  • Coast Live Oak
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Quercus agrifolia
  • Synonym: Quercus agrifolia var. oxyadenia
  • Synonym: Quercus agrifolia var. frutescens
  • Synonym: Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia

Photo Gallery
Location: Botanical specimen in the McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, in Turtle Bay Exploration Park, Redding, California, USA.
Date: 2013-11-11
Location: Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, California 
Date: 2009-06-10
Location: So calif
Date: 2018-06-22
this tree was hit by lighting many years ago
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Brussels)
Location: Mount Diablo, California
credit: John Morgan
Location: Botanical garden of Barcelona (Spain)
Date: 2022-04-16
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Meise Botanical Garden)
Date: 2024-01-24
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Meise Botanical Garden)
Location: Botanical Garden Barcelona (Spain)
Location: Botanical Graden Meise - Nationale Plantentuin Meise - Brussel
Date: 2017-09-27
Location: Botanical garden of Barcelona (Spain)
Date: 2022-04-16
Location: Botanical garden of Barcelona (Spain)
Date: 2022-04-16
Location: Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) grove on Mount Diablo Wall Point Road
Date: 2010-03-29
Photo courtesy of: Miguel Vieira
Location: Coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia) at Brushy Peak Regional Preserve
Date: 2012-02-04
Photo courtesy of: Miguel Vieira
Location: Botanical Garden Barcelona (Spain)
Date: 2017-06-18
Location: Botanical Garden Barcelona (Spain)
Date: 2017-06-18
Location: Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, California
Date: 2013-01-15

credit: Eugene Zelenko
Location: off Highway 101 in California
Date: October
credit: PeterOMalley

« Add a new plant to the database

« The Plants Database Front Page

Today's site banner is by Zoia and is called "Volunteer"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.