Quercus lobata (Oaks, Valley Oak) - 6 Photos - Quercus/lobata/Fagaceae - Plant Profile

Attributes

Native Americans used acorns as a food staple.

California

Oak trees support a wide variety of Lepidopteran. You may see Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May. Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), has one flight from May-July in the south and June-July in the north. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), has three to four flights in the south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) has three broods in the north from February-October. Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) has three broods in Texas and the deep south from January-November, and two broods in the north from April-September. Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) has one brood from April-June, appearing as early as January in Florida. Mammals and birds eat the acorns.

Edibility:

Acorns are edible if tannins are leached or boiled out.

Life Cycle:

Woody

Play Value:

Wildlife Food Source

Fire Risk Rating:

low flammability

Fruit

Fruit Description:

The acorn cups are composed of thick, tubercled scales. The elongated nuts are 1-2 inches long, pointed and mature in one year Aug.- Oct.

Fruit Type:

Nut

Display/Harvest Time:

Fall

Fruit Length:

1-3 inches

Fruit Width:

< 1 inch

Flowers

Flower Description:

Monoecious male and female flowers on the same tree. Blooms March to April.

Flower Inflorescence:

Insignificant

Catkin

Flower Bloom Time:

Spring

Flower Size:

< 1 inch

Leaves

Leaf Description:

2-4 inch long and 1-2 inches wide leaves with 6-10 deep lobes are green with pale undersides. The undersides have fuzzy hairs. The base is wedge-shaped, rounded-gradually tapered, or truncate. The tip is obtuse to rounded. The leaves are aromatic when crushed.

Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:

Deciduous

Leaf Color:

Green

Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:

Brown/Copper

Gold/Yellow

Leaf Type:

Simple

Leaf Arrangement:

Alternate

Leaf Shape:

Elliptical

Obovate

Lobed

Yes

3-6 inches

Soft

Leaf Value To Gardener:

Fragrant

Leaf Width:

1-3 inches

Bark

Bark Description:

The mature bark is gray, scaly, and often vertically fissured in a checker-like pattern.

Bark Color:

Dark Gray

Surface/Attachment:

Scaly

Fissured

Furrowed

Bark Plate Shape:

Irregular

Rectangle

Stem

Stem Description:

The twigs are yellowish-grey, sometimes reddish, slightly tomentose. Buds are pale brown, ovoid, 1-2 inches long, pointed, densely pubescent.

Stem Color:

Red/Burgundy

Gray/Silver

Gold/Yellow

Stem Is Aromatic:

No

Stem Surface:

Hairy (pubescent)

Stem Bud Scales:

No scales, covered in hair

Poisonous to Humans

Poison Symptoms:

Abdominal pain, constipation then diarrhea (occasionally bloody), depression, frequent urination, discolored urine, jaundice; acorns can obstruct the digestive tract

Poison Toxic Principle:

Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin.

Poison Severity:

Low

Causes Contact Dermatitis:

No

Poison Part:

Leaves

Fruits

Whole Plant Traits

Plant Type:

Tree