{"slug":"quercus-lobata","scientific_name":"Quercus lobata","common_names":["Valley oak","Roble","California white oak"],"family":"Fagaceae","type":"broadleaf_deciduous","mature_height_m":20,"mature_spread_m":15,"growth_rate":"medium","lifespan_years":400,"hardiness_zones":[7,9],"sun":"full","water":"low","soil":"Deep, fertile, well-drained loam with access to groundwater; tolerates hot, dry summers","native_range":"Endemic to California's interior valleys and foothills from Siskiyou County south to San Diego County.","description":"North America's largest oak and the signature tree of California's Central Valley savannas: a huge, round-crowned deciduous oak with pewter-gray checkered bark, deeply lobed leaves that turn yellow to orange before dropping, and long slender acorns. Lower limbs of old trees sweep to the ground. It grows over four feet a year with deep soil and groundwater and is a fine shade tree for large properties and parks; Portland lists it for wide planting strips.","care":"Plant small in full sun in deep soil and water deeply but infrequently while establishing; avoid frequent summer irrigation under the canopy of mature trees. Prune in late summer when dormant-season oak diseases are least active and avoid grade changes over the roots. Oak mistletoe, gall wasps and anthracnose are common but seldom serious.","benefits":["shade","wildlife","birds","pollinators","drought_tolerant","long_lived","fall_color","edible"],"uses":["yard_shade","parks","street_tree","reforestation","riparian"],"cautions":["large_roots","heavy_litter","toxic_parts"],"image_url":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Quercus_lobata_Mount_Diablo_near_North_Gate_Road_1.jpg","image_credit":"Awinch1001, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons","sources":["https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/quercus-lobata/","https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/QULO","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_lobata"],"data_note":null,"updated_at":"2026-11-08T01:00:46.205Z","page_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/quercus-lobata","markdown_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/quercus-lobata.md","regions":[{"country":"US","region":"CA","locality":null,"status":"native","note":"Endemic to California.","source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/QULO"},{"country":"US","region":"CA","locality":"Los Angeles","status":"recommended","note":"On the City Plants (Los Angeles) Street Tree Species List","source_url":"https://www.cityplants.org/street-tree-species-list/"},{"country":"US","region":"CA","locality":"Sacramento","status":"recommended","note":"On the Sacramento Tree Foundation Shady 80 recommended trees list","source_url":"https://sactree.org/best-trees-for-sacramento/"},{"country":"US","region":"CA","locality":"San Jose","status":"recommended","note":"On the Our City Forest Community Nursery tree species list","source_url":"https://www.ourcityforest.org/nursery-species"},{"country":"US","region":"OR","locality":"Portland","status":"recommended","note":"On Portland's approved street tree list for planting strips 8.5 ft and wider.","source_url":"https://www.portland.gov/trees/85-foot-wide-and-greater-planting-spaces-without-high-voltage-power-lines"}],"license":"CC-BY-4.0"}