California Black Oak is the dominant deciduous oak of the Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains, with deeply lobed, glossy leaves and large, elongated acorns. It was the most important food plant for many Sierra Nevada and coastal Range indigenous peoples, who ground the acorns into a nutritious meal. Steller's jays and acorn woodpeckers harvest acorns prodigiously.
Habitat
Sierra Nevada foothills and mountain slopes, 2,000–7,000 ft
Diet
Acorns critical for acorn woodpeckers, Steller's jays, deer, and bears
How common
Common
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