Stats

Lifespan: Up to 600 yrs
Size: Huge
Diet: Photosynthetic
Biome: Temperate woodland
Range: North America
Movement: Sessile
Breeding: Seeds
Defense: Toxins
Status: Near Threatened

About

Valley Oaks are the largest of the California oaks, and are endemic to the state. They live in interior valleys and foothills from Siskiyou to San Diego counties, and may live up to 600 years.

Life cycle

1.
seed
A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2.
sprout
A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3.
sapling
A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4.
mature
Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fagales
Family: Fagaceae
Genus: Quercus
Species: Quercus lobata