Encina, California live oak, Coast Live Oak

Quercus agrifolia

Physical Characteristics

Quercus agrifolia is an evergreen Tree growing to 15 m (49ft) by 8 m (26ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. It is in leaf all year, in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen in October. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Distribution

South-western N. America - California.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seed Edible Uses: Seed - cooked[2, 63, 84, 92, 95]. Used as a staple food by several native North American Indian tribes[257]. It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread. The seed, which is up to 4cm long and 2cm wide[82, 229], contains bitter tannins - these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost. Either the whole seed can be used or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder. It can take several days or even weeks to properly leach whole seeds, one method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can tell when the tannin has been leached. The traditional method of preparing the seed was to bury it in boggy ground overwinter. The germinating seed was dug up in the spring when it would have lost most of its astringency. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute.

Medicinal Uses

Astringent Dysentery Skin Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc. A decoction of the chipped bark has been used as a wash on skin sores.

Known Hazards

None known