Plant Name:  Island Oak

Botanical Name:  Quercus tomentella

Origin: Native to the California Channel Island

Height/Physical Description:  Evergreen, 25 to 40 feet tall and wide, with slightly toothed leaves that are dark green on top and grayish or tan hairs underneath.

Special Attributes:  Island Oak produces egg-shaped, 1-1½ inch acorns in a shallow, wooly cap.  The canopy has a very symmetrical shape which makes it one of the handsomest of California evergreen trees.

Purchasing:  Private nurseries or online.

Planting Requirements: Requires fertile soil with good drainage and regular moisture.  Plant in Fall or Winter to allow tree to get established.

Watering:  For young trees, regular water until established.  Mature trees need deep soaking every 2 to 3 weeks.  Do not water next to the base of the tree as this could result in root diseases.  Water only over the outer third of the root system to encourage roots to grow outward.

Fertilizing:  Compost can be added but away from the base of the tree.

Harvesting:  Acorns form and can be harvested in the Fall.

Pruning:  Periodic grooming may be required to remove dead or cross branches.  Prune trees only when they are dormant.  For deciduous trees, prune when leaves have completely dropped off; for evergreens, prune during the dry season (mid to late Summer) to avoid mildew and fungal diseases.

Diseases:  The following are common diseases that can occur in all oak trees:  oak root fungus (Armillaria mellea) and sudden oak death (phytophthora ramorum).

Additional:  Sunset growing zones 7-9; 14-17; 19-24.