canyon live oak Fagaceae Quercus chrysolepis
Leaf:Alternate, simple, persistent; variable shape, oblong to elliptical, thick and leathery, small (1 to 3 1/2 inches long), margins may be entire or spinose (holly-like) on the same branch, initially fuzzy but becoming smooth and green above and smooth and bluish-white below.
Flower:Species is monoecious; inconspicuous; male flowers borne in aments (catkins); female flowers borne solitary or in short spikes, appearing with the leaves.
Fruit:An elongated acorn with a shallow, scaly cap, 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches long, requires 2 seasons to mature.
Twig:Slender, rigid or flexible, fuzzy when young but becoming smooth and reddish to grayish brown with age.
Bark:Thin (about 1 inch) and mostly smooth; may develop small, tight scales with age; gray-brown.
Form:Grows both as a tree (to 80 feet tall and 2 feet in diameter) and as a dense shrub up to 15 feet tall.
Notes:
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