Plant Database
Blue Oak
Quercus douglasii
The Blue Oak is a iconic, drought-hardy deciduous oak of California's hot, dry interior foothills. It is characterized by its beautiful blue-gray foliage, rugged, picturesque form, and extreme drought tolerance. This slow-growing tree is perfectly adapted to thrive with no summer wateronce established, making it a quintessential choice for authentic, water-wise native landscapes.
-
Recognizable by its bluish-green to gray deciduous leaves, which provide a soft, cool color in the landscape before turning yellow-brown in fall.
-
Exhibits exceptional drought tolerance; mature trees in their native habitat survive on winter rainfall alone and are harmed by summer irrigation.
-
Develops a unique, gnarled, and spreading form that is highly sculptural, especially in winter when bare.
-
A perfect, low-maintenance tree for re-creating a California foothill woodland in hot, dry inland areas. Plant it and let nature take its course.