California Black Oak

California black oak is a large deciduous tree native to the foothills and lower mountain regions of California and southern Oregon up to the southern Willamette Valley, thriving in dry, open woodlands and mixed-conifer forests. It typically grows 30 to 80 feet tall, with a broad, rounded crown and deeply lobed, glossy green leaves that turn golden or red in autumn. Its dark, ridged bark and large acorns provide valuable food and habitat for wildlife, including deer, squirrels, and birds. California black oak is a key ecological species, playing an important role in forest succession and fire-adapted ecosystems. While this species typically reaches only as far north as Eugene, it is expected to be a climate-adapted and drought-resistant option for our region.