Garry Oak

Quercus garryana

The Garry oak (also called Oregon white oak) is a deciduous tree belonging to a family of oak trees native to the west coast of North America. There are several varieties that extend from the Gulf Islands, southern Vancouver Island, and the Lower Mainland in the north, to northern California in the south. In its northern habitat, and especially in Canada, it supports a unique ecosystem where it serves as the keystone species, meaning it supports a number of other species that would be unable to thrive without the unique landscape characteristic of the ecosystem…

Characteristics

The Garry oak is a medium sized tree that matures to approximately 20 metres, however, trees as large as 30 metres have been recorded, especially in the Southern end of its range. The bark of mature trees is greyish-black, fire-resistant, has deep grooves, a scaly appearance, and is abrasive to the touch. Mosses grow well on the bark, especially in the wet coastal region of the Garry oak range. Garry oaks have sprawling canopies and in many cases can grow as large horizontally as they do vertically…

Get the full report: Download PDF