Tree ID Question....

[NickfromWI]

Hey folks,
I am in sunny Southern CA right now and I have a question about a particular type of tree. We were camping at Cachuma Lake campground and my girlfriend, her two little brothers, and I climbed a couple oak trees. But what kind??
The rangers said they were Live Oak. The leaves were much like that you'd find on a Holly, with poaky/prickly points at the tips of the lobes. the leaves were about 2-4 inches long. The trees were not ever more than 70' tall with a beautiful spreading crown. Any ideas?
I was thinking it'd be neat if there were a section on here dedicated to questions just about Plant Identification. What do you all think about that?

love
nick

 

[tshanefreeman]

Sounds to me like Quercus acutissima, otherwise commonly known as Sawtooth Oak.

Here's a few attached pictures to help out with the visual!

 

[tshanefreeman]

Here's the summer habit picture!

 

[NickfromWI]

I don't think so...

Those leaves in the pic look longer and thinner than the ones on the tree I climbed. The leaves on this one were shaped almost identical to what you'd find on a holly. Short, arched, stiff, and pointy.

Thanks!

love
nick

 

[Jay Banks]

Are you sure it's an Oak?

 

[Treeman14]

Could be a sawtooth oak, quercus acutissima.

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/qacutissima.htm

http://www.salisbury.edu/arboretum/Quercus/QuAc/QuAcHM.html

 

[underwor]

How about a Coast live oak. Here is a site with photos.

http://danr.ucop.edu/ihrmp/coast5a.html

Bob Underwood

 

[NickfromWI]

That's it, Bob!!!!

A Coast Live Oak!!! With those funny pointy acorns! Mystery solved. Thanks, Bob.

love
nick

ps- (they are fun to climb!!!)
pps- Are these the same as the live oaks that you all have in the South East?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Dirnit Bobby, you stole my thunder

Guess I gotta come here more often.

 

[underwor]

Sorry John, we just see those so often here in Bottineau that it was just second nature. (in the old dendro samples)

Bob

 

[Brian Monaghan]

Well how about that my 1st. day on Arborist Site and I hear somebody is camping in my old stomping grounds.....Lake Cachuma,..... boy haven't heard much about that place for much to long! I grew up and learned tree care in Santa Barbara......Haven't been to S.B. for about 15 years though. I was going to say Coastal Live Oak or Vally Oak, miss those trees.....very nice! Enjoy your stay Trout/Bass fishing very good there......or used to be

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Everybody sing

It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
.
.
.



Welcom to ArboristSite!

So are you like Underwood and specialize in box elder, and cottonwood? Where he is from Russian olive is an ornimental.