Coast live oak, California live oak. 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.
