Leaves strongly convex with spiny tipped margins; Mason Regional Park, Irvine, CA. 8-28-11. © Joan Avise

Coast Live Oak

Quercus agrifolia

Fagaceae

A common species of foothills and coastal woodlands.  The trees can live for hundreds of years, insulated from fire damage by their thick moist bark and sprouting ability. Since the mid-1990's, thousands of oak trees have been killed by a bark-invading fungus in the genus Phytophthora. (Stuart and Sawyer, Trees and Shrubs of CA).

Back to Fagaceae of Orange County, California
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Mature trees reach 30-80'; Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Laguna Beach, CA. 2-22-09. © Joan Avise
Found along streams; Limestone Canyon Wilderness Park, Orange Co., CA. 6-4-11. © Joan Avise

Evergreen leaves; Limestone Canyon Wilderness Park, Orange Co., CA. 6-4-11. © Joan Avise
With Hairy (Oak) Mistletoe, Phoradendron serotinum, Limestone Canyon Wilderness Park, Irvine, CA. 2-4-12. © Joan Avise.

Long pointed acorns mature in one season; Mason Regional Park, Irvine, CA. 8-28-11. © Joan Avise
"Mother Oak", thought to be 500 yrs old; Donna O'Neill Land Conservancy, San Juan Capistrano, CA. 5-03-09. © Joan Avise

Acorns. Caspers Wilderness Park, San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, CA. 10-9-11. © Peter J. Bryant
Acorns. Caspers Wilderness Park, San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, CA. 10-9-11. © Peter J. Bryant

A granary made by a breeding group of Acorn Woodpeckers, who depend heavily on acorns for food. As acorns dry out, they are moved to smaller holes, thus maintenance requires a significant amount of the bird's time. The woodpeckers usually use dead trees, but this one was alive. Limestone Canyon Wilderness Park, Irvine, CA. 2-4-12. © Joan Avise
Mature acorn showing the nearly sessile stalk, the top-shaped cap with thin, flat, smooth, brown scales.  The acorn nut tapers to a point; shell is smooth on the outer surface, densely matted with hair in the inner surface. Limestone Canyon Wilderness Park, Irvine, CA. 2-4-12. © Joan Avise

Trees found in riparian areas; Limestone Canyon Wilderness Park, Orange Co., CA. 6-4-11. © Joan Avise
Male catkins; Wood Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County, CA. 04-05-10. © Peter J. Bryant

Immature male catkins. Wood Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County, CA. 4-1-12. © Peter J. Bryant
Immature male catkins. Wood Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County, CA. 3-31-12. © Peter J. Bryant

Male catkins. Aliso Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County, CA. 4-1-12. © Peter J. Bryant
Male catkins; Wood Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County, CA. 04-05-10. © Peter J. Bryant

Male catkins. Wood Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County, CA. 3-31-12. © Peter J. Bryant
Male catkins. Wood Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County, CA. 3-31-12. © Peter J. Bryant

Male catkins; Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Laguna Beach, CA. 2-22-09. © Joan Avise
Male catkins. Wood Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County, CA. 3-31-12. © Peter J. Bryant

Male catkins and female flowers (circled). Wood Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County, CA. 4-1-12. © Peter J. Bryant
Female flowers (~2.5mm diam.). Wood Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County, CA. 4-1-12. © Peter J. Bryant

Unidentified leaf gall. Wood Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County, CA. 4-1-12. © Peter J. Bryant
Catkin gall, presumed to be induced by the cynipid wasp Callirhytis congregata (Russo). Wood Canyon, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County, CA. 4-1-12. © Peter J. Bryant

Foliage variability, Serrano Creek, vic. Whiting Ranch, 11-20-14. © Ron Vanderhoff.
Cynipidae (Gall Wasps) inducing galls on Coat Live Oak: First row, inducing wasps; second row, galls or gall types from which the corresponding wasp hatched.

Two-horned Gall Wasp,
Dryocosmus dubiosus
Pumpkin Gall Wasp,
Dryocosmus minisculus
PBCyn5