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Scrub Oak
Quercus berberidifolia
  
25 Nurseries Carry This Plant

About Scrub Oak (Quercus berberidifolia) 25 Nurseries Carry This Plant The California Scrub Oak is a small evergreen or semi-evergreen shrubby oak in the white oak section. It grows up to 6 meters in height. It has variable, dull green leaves which are 1.5-3 centimeter long and 1-2 centimeter broad, leathery on their top surfaces and somewhat hairy underneath. Flowers are yellow but inconspicuous. The solitary or paired brown acorns are 1-3 centimeters long and 1-2 centimeters broad, and pointed or egg-shaped with thin caps when mature; they mature in about 6-8 months after pollination. It is a native of the scrubby hills of California. It is a common member of chaparral ecosystems; in fact, the word chaparral is derived from the Spanish word for scrub oak, chaparro. Many other scrub-type oaks can be found in the region, notably Quercus dumosa. In cooler, more exposed areas, scrub oak is usually a small, compact shrub, but in warm or sheltered areas the plant can spread out and grow several meters high. Oaks generally do not like summer water which promotes the growth of soil pathogens. The best mulch is a thick layer of oak leaves and a few large rocks.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Tree, Shrub

Size
Size
15 - 19.7 ft tall
15 ft wide

Form
Form
Rounded

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Slow

Dormancy
Dormancy
Evergreen

Fragrance
Fragrance
None

Flower Color
Flower Color
Cream, Green, Yellow, Brown

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Winter, Spring

Wildlife Supported
 
Numerous birds, mammals, reptiles and insects. Many insects are attracted to Oaks generally, including the following butterflies which use Oaks as host plant: California Sister, Propertius Duskywing, Mournful Duskywing, Golden Hairstreak, and Gold-Hunter's Hairstreak.

 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 166 likely * ) SHOW ALL
*
Papilio rutulus Image
Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulusPapilio rutulus
*
Limenitis lorquini Image
Lorquin's Admiral Limenitis lorquiniLimenitis lorquini
*
Adelpha californica Image
California Sister Adelpha californicaAdelpha californica
*
Erynnis propertius Image
Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertiusErynnis propertius
*
Satyrium californica Image
California Hairstreak Satyrium californicaSatyrium californica
*
Habrodais grunus Image
Golden Hairstreak Habrodais grunusHabrodais grunus
*
Erynnis tristis Image
Mournful Duskywing Erynnis tristisErynnis tristis

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun, Part Shade

Moisture
Moisture
Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 1x / month once established

Nurseries
Nurseries
Carried by 25

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Very Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 20° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast, Medium

Soil Description
Soil Description
Most often found on eroded granite or sandstone soils. Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.0

Common uses
Common uses
Bank Stabilization, Hedges, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens

Companion Plants
Companion Plants
Toyon, Chamise, Laurel Sumac, Heartleaf Penstemon, White Pitcher Sage, Woolly Bluecurls, Tree Poppy, Ceanothus spp, Manzanita species

Propagation
Propagation?
By acorns.  For propagating by seed: Fresh seeds sow in fall outdoors or stratify to hold for spring sowing. (USDA Forest Service 1974).

Sunset Zones
Sunset Zones?
5, 7*, 8, 9, 10, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Dry slopes, canyons, foothills, marine terraces, from coast to inland, mostly below 5,000 ft from Shasta County to San Diego County and into Baja California, Mexico.

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 9.0" - 70.0", Summer Precipitation: 0.14" - 2.95", Coldest Month: 29.1" - 55.7", Hottest Month: 50.4" - 80.7", Humidity: 0.58" - 29.25", Elevation: -659" - 8808"

Alternative Names
Common Names: Inland Scrub Oak


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Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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