Help identifying an oak variety.

[OHutton]

So here in the NorCal Valley around the town of Chico we have a lot of Valley Oak—or Quercus Lobata. My folks have about 77 acres about 15 miles outside of town and I've been going up there and cutting dead oaks that have fallen down with pretty great results so far. All the wood has been in the 10-25% range. The property is pretty rocky and hilly so the oaks I've been taking have all been pretty easy picking and close to the road.

With all the warm weather we've been having lately, I noticed that the Valley Oaks are just starting to leaf out. I was up there the other day hiking around and I noticed one area where the oaks have all their leaves. I'm wondering if these are Live Oaks. I have heard of Live Oaks up here, but I haven't really seen any or had them pointed out to me. They certainly aren't the dominant variety. As we all know with oak, the differences can be slight. I've attached some pics to help with ID. There's a fallen dead oak right next to the pictured green one. Even though it's been there a while, it still has its leaves. I thought was a little strange as all of the other fallen oaks in other areas of the property don't have them. Now it could be that it just happened to fall with the leaves on and they never detached. Or maybe this is a different oak variety? After sitting so long the bark is starting to fall off, you'd think the leaves would have fallen off by now too.

Unfortunately I didn't think to take a pic of the entire green oak tree—just the dead one.

 

[Oldman47]

What you have looks a lot like this to me.
http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/quechr/all.html
which is Quercus chrysolepis

 

[OHutton]

"Canyon Live Oak." Makes sense considering the location is called Butte Creek Canyon. The more I look at photos online the more familiar it looks.

 

[OHutton]

That's a good catch, Oldman.

What about Quercus Wislizeni, or Interior Live Oak? http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/quewis/all.html

I found a list on our local university website with all of the native oaks to his area. It was the only other 'live' variety that I found.

Regardless of whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be excellent firewood. I just kind of like knowing since I'm a nerd. I also like using proper names so if somebody is searching they may see this post and get a little help.

 

[Oldman47]

Look at the leaves on that thing OHutton. The points at the end of each leaf vein are missing on the ones he wanted to identify. When it comes to identifying a species details count.

 

[Poindexter]

One of the only things I do remember from having taken a botany class in North Carolina, umm, many years ago, all the sp in genus Quercus will hybrid with each other very very easily. Lots and lots of "pink" oak in North Carolina, red with white.

If you can get down to the two species your tree most resembles you are probably looking at a cross.

 

[Oldman47]

You are almost right. I did specialize in oak varieties when I was getting ready to plant. Most reds will cross with other reds and most whites will cross with other whites but white/red crosses are almost unknown.

 

[Poindexter]

You are almost right. I did specialize in oak varieties when I was getting ready to plant. Most reds will cross with other reds and most whites will cross with other whites but white/red crosses are almost unknown.

Might be a regional thing, it was many years ago. I recall three of five correct answers on my botany final were "pink" oak. Plenty of hurricanes messing with the gene pool in coastal Carolina.

 

[MrWhoopee]

Definitely live oak, hard to tell which one from the pics. Some of the highest BTU wood you can get in California. Get all you can!

 

[OHutton]

Definitely live oak, hard to tell which one from the pics. Some of the highest BTU wood you can get in California. Get all you can!

Well it's my folks land, so I'm only cutting up the fallen dead ones. I'm not being too discriminate with species, but still, it's nice knowing which is which.

There's a big Canyon or Interior or 'Canteroior' or whatever you want to call it oak that just fell. It's still very green. The trunk is so gnarled, but still pretty straight. That one is next on my list. I'll post a pic shortly. It's a beaut.

I need to go back and measure it. It may be big enough to mill. I've been wanting to make a really long table for when we do our kitchen remodel. I was looking at live oak furniture and it can be quite pretty. This trunk looks like it may have some nice figure in it.

 

[OHutton]

It's probably a little small. My dad mills his own walnut so I'll have to ask him. It looks like the trunk has a bit of rot going on with all of those two holes.

 

[Wood Duck]

That is definitely a live oak, but it is hard to tell the live oaks apart. There are several species and they look pretty similar.