Coastal Live Oak
Quick Facts
Positively glorious in beauty, and a staple of our California landscapes and natural native ecosystems. Coastal Live Oaks are happy in out hot, dry summers and thrive in their natural habitat of California. If you’ve got the space for them to stretch out, these are almost always an amazing tree choice.
Watering
Mature trees are drought tolerant and thrive in our natural California habitat, even in intermittent drought conditions. If we’re in an extended drought, it is best to give them a moderate amount of deep watering. Oaks struggle most with over-watering than under-watering, and should be kept largely away from highly irrigated lawns or gardens with high water needs.
Pruning
Our California native Oaks are protected, and in most areas, need permitting and pruning work to be through an ISA Certified Arborist and your local municipality. Cities and counties often have tree protection ordinances that look out for the best interest of these trees, and to shield them from unprofessional pruning work. A homeowner can be liable for up to tens of thousands in fines if you’re hiring someone who does not have a valid and current permit to perform work on one of these native oaks! These are not the trees to take into your own hands, as the greatest harm posed to these beautiful trees is often a chainsaw in untrained hands.
Pests
Typically oak-feeding caterpillars, wasp galls, and oak webworms (not as much of a pest to a mature Oak as they are to the landscape underneath that they’ll munch away at – and some people are even allergic to them!). If you’re seeing a lot of oak webworms, reach out to us to learn more on how we treat them with a natural, plant-based, and organic treatment!
Have questions, or need help pruning, planting, or caring for your plants and trees? Schedule a visit with one of our ISA Certified Arborists!
