Coast Live Oak - with shiny, evergreen prickly leaves, that are usually rolled under. Not too fun to play around if you are barefoot. This oak is very drought tolerant, looks nice all year, and grows fairly quickly for an oak. Coast Live Oak will grow up high on the hillsides in central California (in the draws where there is more moisture). Under stress (drought, insects, diseases, etc.) the leaves will roll under and even fall off. No stress and the leaves are flat (like Interior Live Oak, Quercus wislizenii, BUT, for all oaks a little stress is good! Flat- leaved Coast Live Oaks are more susceptible to SOD (sudden oak death) or other diseases.

Height: 20 to 40 feet; may reach 80 feet
Longevity:125 to 250 yrs.
Sprouting: Very vigorously sprouted
Acorn: Matures first year; 3/4 to 2-3/4 in.; cup over 1/3 of nut and not warty
Foliage: Evergreen; 1-3 in.; round; dark and shiny above with gray or rusty fuzz underneath; cupped or spoon-shaped
Shade Tolerance: throughout life
Fire Tolerance: Very tolerant of hot fires due to thick bark

See: http://danr.ucop.edu

See also:http://www.laspilitas.com