As a symbol of Rebirth and Serenity, the Oak Tree is a true PNW Treasure.
During the 1800’s, oak savanna was a common sight in the Willamette Valley.
David Douglas named the tree in honor of Nicholas Garry, secretary and later deputy governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company, who was helpful to Douglas when he was in western North America in 1826 looking for native plants suitable for horticultural introduction in Great Britain.
When David Douglas first came across the oaks, they were part of the vast woodland savannas of the Puget Sound Lowland and the Willamette Valley. He was among the first to record how Native Americans burned the savannas to keep the area open for hunting and to enhance the growth of edible herbaceous plants, such as camas, and the collection of wasp nests whose larvae people roasted and ate.
The Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) is a striking deciduous hardwood native to the Pacific Northwest, ranging from British Columbia to southern California.
The Oregon white oak is a special tree for many reasons, including:
- Adaptability: Oregon white oaks can tolerate drought, flooding, and a variety of temperatures. They can grow in places that are too dry or exposed for other trees.
- Acorns: Oregon white oak acorns are edible and can be eaten raw, roasted, or ground into flour. They are rich in fiber, minerals, vitamins, and complex carbohydrates.
- Importance to the ecosystem: Oregon white oaks provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for many native animals. They are also a food source for Native American tribes.
- Cultural significance: Oregon white oaks have cultural significance for many Native tribes.
- Lumber: Oregon white oak is a favorite of woodworkers, artists, and sculptors. It has the highest bending strength of all domestic oaks and is one of the hardest tree species in North America.
- Galls: Tiny wasps lay their eggs on oak leaves and stems, which causes the tree to create a gall. These galls are speckled, round balls with a Styrofoam-like inside.
- Resistance to ice and snow: Oregon white oaks are resistant to damage from ice and snow.
- Wind-throw: Oregon white oaks are resistant to wind-throw due to their deep tap roots and widely spreading roots.
Lost Over Time
Due to factors like agricultural expansion, urban development, fire suppression, and other modern activities, much of the Oregon white oak habitat—especially its savannas—has been lost across its native range.
It’s estimated that over 99 percent of Oregon’s original prairies and savannas have been converted to cities, farms, and other developments.
In addition to urbanization, invasive plant species pose a further threat to this native oak. For successful germination, the oak’s seeds require moist soil or protection under leaf litter. Unfortunately, non-native plants like Scotch broom and Himalayan blackberry reduce the survival and growth rates of young oak seedlings.
Sources: Oregon Encyclopedia, Forests For Oregon