About Quercus wislizeni A.DC.
Quercus wislizeni A.DC. is generally a large shrub or tree that can reach up to 22 metres (72 feet) in height. However, in the low-elevation Sierra Nevada foothills where it is very common, individuals seldom exceed 10 m (33 ft) tall. Its leaves are dark green, appearing grayish when viewed from a distance. They are typically small, measuring 2–7 centimetres (1–3 inches) long, and thick in texture. Spiny toothed edges are common on leaves of plants growing at higher elevations, especially on young trees. Male flowers grow in catkins, while female flowers develop in groups of 2 to 4 within leaf axils. Its acorns are 1–2 cm (1⁄2–1 in) long, and mature in the second season, approximately 18 months, after flowering. Individual specimens can live up to 200 years. This species occurs across many regions of California, United States, and extends south into northern Baja California, Mexico. It grows primarily in foothill habitats: it is most abundant at lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada, and is also widespread across the Pacific Coast Ranges (where populations have been classified as the separate species Quercus parvula since 1980) and the San Gabriel Mountains. Quercus wislizeni, commonly called interior live oak, is a red oak classified in section Lobatae and series Agrifoliae within the California Floristic Province. It hybridizes with California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) to produce the hybrid Quercus × morehus, also known as Abram's oak. All California red oaks show evidence of introgression, hybridization, or both with one another. A common associated tree species is gray pine (Pinus sabiniana). Deer will browse the foliage of Quercus wislizeni. Human uses of this species include using its wood as fuel, and its acorns are edible.
