Live Oak, Canyon live oak

Quercus chrysolepis

Physical Characteristics

Quercus chrysolepis is an evergreen Tree growing to 25 m (82ft 0in) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year. 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. 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 - Oregon to California, west to Arizona.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seed Edible Uses: Coffee Seed - cooked[161, 177]. A staple food for several native North American Indian tribes[257]. The seed is about 3cm long and wide[82, 200] and can be up to 5cm long and wide[82]. 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 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 Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc[4].

Known Hazards

None known