Valley Oak

California Valley Oak (Quercus lobata)

Common names: Valley Oak, California White Oak

Light: Full sun to partial shade

Water: Drought tolerant to moderate. It ranges over the hot interior valleys of California where there is a water table within reach of the roots. Best not to provide irrigation within 30 feet of established valley oaks. They'll often absorb too much water, causing limbs to break off.

Maturity: Mature specimens may attain an age of up to 600 years.

Size: grow quickly, reaching 20 feet in 5 years, and 40 feet in 10 years, and up to 60 feet in 20 years.

Plant Type: Deciduous foliage

Pests: Resistant to Oak Root Fungus and Verticillium. Susceptible to Beetle Borers, Caterpillars, Insect Galls and Scales, Crown Rot, Mistletoe and Root Rot.

Flower: Flowers Inconspicuous. Flowers in Spring. Has separate male and female flowers on the same tree (monoecious).

Garden: Because of its eventual size, it may not be appropriate for the average residential garden

Elevation: Although once widespread in much of the northern Great Central Valley of California, now occurs primarily in the inner Coast Ranges and bordering foothills.

Ecological Role

White oak is a dominant species of valley oak savanna and low elevation riparian forests in California, providing a critical habitat for many animal and plant species, stabilizing soils in flood plains, and contributing an aesthetic value to the natural landscape.

California white oak acorns are an important food source for deer, California ground squirrels, band-tailed pigeons, and acorn woodpeckers." - USDA California White Oak/Valley Oak plant guide