Quercus agrifolia

Common Names

Coast Live Oak, California Live Oak, Encina

Summary

Coast Live Oak is a native evergreen tree of coastal California and Baja California, ranging from Mendocino County to Baja California, with a dense, rounded crown on a stout trunk and gnarled branches. Leaves are leathery, dark green, oval with spinose margins and measure 1.5–7.5 cm long; bark is smooth when young, thickening and furrowing with age; acorns mature in one year and provide wildlife food; fire resistance is notable, with regrowth after fire, contributing to longevity in oak woodlands, chaparral upslope, and riparian zones.

It tolerates a wide range of soils but prefers moist, well-drained sites and is drought tolerant once established; irrigation is roughly weekly in the first year, then about monthly, with no summer irrigation recommended; hardiness zones 8–11; common landscape uses include specimen tree, shade tree, and bank stabilization; ecological value includes wildlife support through acorns and habitat; acorns are edible after proper prep; potential management concerns include susceptibility to Sudden Oak Death and bark beetles; a large, space‑requiring tree with mycorrhizal associations and a long lifespan.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

30-80 ft

Spread

20-50 ft

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7-11

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Deep, fertile, well-drained loam

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soils, preferably deep loam

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Dark green

Fall Foliage Color

No fall color

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Slow

Seasons of Interest

All four seasons

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Grafting, Asexual regeneration

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds, Attracts butterflies