Garry Oak
Quercus garryana
APPEARANCE
The garry oak is a deciduous tree with large craggy branches. It grows to 25 metres tall and has shiny, green leaves and light grey bark with thick ridges.
RANGE & HABITAT
The garry oak is found along the west coast of North America from southern B.C. to mid California. It is the only native oak growing in B.C. (it is leftover from before the Ice Age). It is common on open and dry sites, and forms a special meadow ecosystem with camas, shooting star, arbutus and other plants. In B.C. this plant is found in the Georgia Depression ecoprovince.
LIFE CYCLE
The garry oak is a slow growing tree. The leaves of the oak turn dull yellow or brown in fall and produce small acorns.
ANIMAL USES
Birds, small mammals and insects use the garry oak as their home.
TRADITIONAL USES BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
The garry oak is used for its wood to make fires, digging sticks and combs. Its acorns can be roasted or steamed for food.
Visit this online interactive learning tool, Seeing Through Watchers’ Eyes, to learn the SENĆOŦEN name and other stories about this being! We recommend a desktop computer or laptop for ideal viewing.
- Simply open the link here: https://sierraclub.bc.ca/watcherseyes/
- Scroll down to the Prezi
- Click “present”
- And move your cursor to point 84 along the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen
OTHER USES
The wood is used for wood crafts (bowls, etc.).
STATUS
COSEWIC: Not Listed
CDC: Yellow