Quercus chrysolepis
An evergreen oak native to the Pacific Northwest, it often grows gnarled on rocky ridges or upright in deep, moist canyons, with thick glossy leaves having veined undersides and golden-cup acorns, drought-tolerant once established but requiring excellent drainage and slow-growing to 20–60 ft.
Common Names
Canyon Live Oak, Maul Oak, Canyon Oak, Goldcup Oak, Golden-Cup Oak
Summary
Canyon live oak is an evergreen oak native to western North America from Oregon to Baja California and into parts of New Mexico and northwestern Chihuahua. It forms a shrub- to tree-sized habit with a rounded, spreading crown, typically 20–60 ft tall and 30–60 ft wide, and features thick leathery leaves that are dark green above with pale undersides; young leaves may be spiny. Acorns have golden caps, giving the Golden-Cup Oak name, and acorns mature in 2 years.
In cultivation, it prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soils, is drought-tolerant once established, and tolerates a range of soil types. Propagation is by seed. Hardy in zones 7–9. It is best suited for larger landscapes and may be left to grow naturally. It provides erosion control on slopes, wildlife habitat, and landscape shade, and is slow-growing but long-lived.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
20-100 ft
Spread
30-60 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 7a-9b
Sunlight Requirements
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade, Full Shade
Soil Type
Well-drained loamy soil.
Soil Drainage
Well-drained
Soil pH
5.0-7.0, acidic to neutral
Bloom Color
Tawny catkins; female flowers tawny with bright red stigmas.
Bloom Time
Spring
Foliage Color
Green to blue-green; upper surface dark green with bluish-white undersides.
Fall Foliage Color
No fall color; evergreen.
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Slow growth.
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds, basal sprouts from dormant buds at the base, sprouting from the bole and/or root crown
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts butterflies, other pollinators, and birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Liebm.
- Publication
- Overs. Kongel. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Forh. Medlemmers Arbeider 1854: 173 (1854)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Fagales
- Family
- Fagaceae
- Genus
- Quercus
- Subgenus
- Quercus subgen. Quercus
- Section
- Quercus sect. Protobalanus
Synonyms
Quercus chrysolepis f. grandis Quercus chrysolepis f. hansenii Quercus chrysolepis var. hansenii Quercus chrysolepis f. nana Quercus chrysolepis var. nana Quercus chrysolepis f. pendula Quercus chrysolepis subsp. wilcoxii Quercus chrysolepis var. wilcoxii Quercus chrysophyllus Quercus crassipocula Quercus fulvescens Quercus oblongifolia Quercus wilcoxii Quercus chrysolepis var. grandis Quercus chrysolepis var. pendula