| Common Name |
California Balck Oak |
| Latin Name |
Quercus kellogii |
| Family / Origin |
Fagaceae / |
| Sunset zones / USDA zones |
5-7, 15-16, 18-21 / 5-10 |
| Type / Form |
Tree / Large |
| Native Habitat |
Forest 0 to 7,000 feet |
| Soil |
Dry, decomposed granite, sand, clay loam, low to high
organic content, well drained |
| Exposure |
Full or partial sun |
| Water |
None to once per month depending on soil in hot
weather |
| Height X Width |
25 feet X 25 feet, maximum 80 feet X 80 feet |
| Protective Mechanism |
None |
| Leaves |
Green, lobed, winter deciduous |
| Flowers |
Monoecious; inconspicuous,
male and female flowers borne in separate aments (catkins), appearing
with the leaves |
| Bark / Roots |
Initially smooth and dark
gray or black; when mature turning dark brown to black, broad,
irregularly plated ridges, about 1 inch thick. Twigs reddish
brown, ridged, smooth or minutely pubescent; terminal buds are large,
pointed and clustered at the ends of the twigs. |
| Maintenance |
None except that deciduous (Do not prune any oaks in
spring) |
| Propagation |
Seed - it quickly loses viability if it is allowed to
dry out. It can be stored moist and cool overwinter but is best sown as
soon as it is ripe in an outdoor seed bed, though it must be protected
from mice, squirrels etc. Small quantities of seed can be sown in deep
pots in a cold frame. Plants produce a deep taproot and need to be
planted out into their permanent positions as soon as possible, in fact
seed sown in situ will produce the best trees[11]. Trees should not be
left in a nursery bed for more than 2 growing seasons without being
moved or they will transplant very badly.
|
| Pests and Diseases |
Sudden oak death, oak leaf fungus, oak anthracnose,
powdery mildew, leaf blister fungus, leaf rust, mistletoe |
| Landscape uses |
Erosion control, low maintenance, fire retardant |
| Garden Suitability |
Songbird, Mountain, Butterfly, Ethnobotanical, Fire
Retardant |
| Nature Value |
Acorns eaten by squirrels and strong beaked birds, cover
for nesting birds, larval plant for butterflies |
| Native American Uses |
Acorns ground to make soup and flour for unleavened
bread |
| Links |
|
| Images and data |
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=242 |
| Images and data |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Black_Oak |
| Images and data |
http://www.coestatepark.com/quercus_kelloggii.htm |
| Images and data |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_kelloggii |
| Images and data |
http://www.suddenoakdeath.org/pdf/Quercus%20kelloggii.pdf |
| Images and data |
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/quercus/kelloggii.htm |
| Images and data |
http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=7000 |
| Images and data |
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/81457/ |
| |
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Quercus+kelloggii |
| Nursery, images, and data |
http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/561.htm |
| Nursery, images, and data |
http://www.cnplx.info/nplx/species?taxon=Quercus+kelloggii |
| Nursery, images, and data |
Oak Hills Nursery, 13874 Ranchero Road, Oak Hills, 92345,
760-947-6261 |
| Data |
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/quercus/kelloggii.htm |
| Data |
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Fagaceae/Quercus_kelloggii.html |
| Data |
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233501052 |
| Distribution map |
http://esp.cr.usgs.gov/data/atlas/little/querkell.pdf |
| Distribution map |
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=QUKE |
| Note: |
Moderate pollinator |
