The largest of the North American Oaks, Valley Oak (Quercus lobata)! Though many people think California only has Oak trees that are short and scrubby and not tall and robust like Eastern oaks, the Valley Oak proves them wrong.
Sadly for the Valley Oak, they were often used by western settlers as an indication of prime agricultural land, and their wood was milled and previous range used for agriculture (still today).
The Valley Oak—the largest of the North American oaks—attains heights of up to 150 feet or more. They are endemic to California and once covered interior valleys and foothills from Siskiyou County to San Diego County.
Early botanist explorers poetically wrote of the stately appearance of the Valley Oak, and its miles of park-like habitat. The most amazing and only old growth stand of Valley Oaks I have seen was on a military base.
Imagine what California looked like before we cut down all those majestic oaks and redwoods!!! Makes me very sad.
Oaks of many types are important keystone species that are a top supporter of other life forms, possibly more than any other North American tree species. Beyond their importance in the environment, humans, along with many other critters, have long harvested their acorns as a food source, and used their wood, and other plant plants to make durable instruments.
#biodiversity #ethnobotany #oaks #california #biodiversityhotspot