ORANGE COUNTY ZOO
Photo courtesy of
Irvine Park Railroad
At the Zoo
Live Web Cameras
Animals at the Zoo
Plants at the Zoo
Zoo Information
Zoo hours, location, contact
Events, classes, programs
New at the Zoo
Volunteer opportunities
Support the Zoo
Membership
Adopt-an-Animal
Donation information
The Orange County Zoo is
owned and operated by the
County
of Orange, California.
Web page produced by the
Orange County Zoological Society,
Copyright 2005.
Coastal Live Oak
Quercus agrifolia
This evergreen tree can reach a height of 80
feet and a diameter of 2-3 feet. The dark green leaf edges turn under and bear spiny teeth. The egg-shaped
acorns are one inch long. This oak can be found in valleys, canyon bottoms, and
hillsides. It is often found with Canyon Live Oak and California Black Oak along
the coastal ranges of central and southern California. Many animals eat the
acorns in winter when food is scarce, including quail, squirrel, deer, elk,
mountain sheep, and black bear. The Coastal Live Oak is an important plant for
many animal species in California.
Native American Usage
The acorn was ground into meal and then boiled into mush or baked in ashes as
bread. The meal was also used for medicinal purposes for boils, sores and
inflammation. Dye from the bark and tannin was used for curing buckskin. Whole
acorns were used as musical instruments, necklaces, toys and as a trade item.
