Garry Oak Care

The Garry Oak (Quercus garryana), also known as Oregon White Oak or Oregon Oak, is a member of the Fagaceae family (Beeches, Chestnuts and Oaks). It has a range from the mountains of Los Angeles County northward to British Columbia, Canada, particularly in the foothills of the Siskiyou and Klamath Mountains, the Coast Ranges of Northern California, and of the west slope of the Cascades. It grows from sea level to 210 meter altitude in the northern part of its range, and at 300-1800 meter in the south of the range. There are three recognized varieties with largely overlapping ranges. The tree is named after Nicholas Garry, deputy governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, 1822-35. In the northerm part of its range it is an attractive tree, sometimes reaching 90 ft. but more often 50-60 ft. In the southern part of its range it is more often a shrub to 20 ft. It has large, lobed leaves which it drops in winter. It makes an excellent tree or shrub for mountain gardens and is important for wildlife.