The Amazing, Versatile Coast Live Oak

Published by Steve Clark on

While hiking over our local hills and through canyons, you’ve undoubtedly been awed by a canopy of coast live oaks or seen one perched majestically on a hillside. They’re tough, hardy drought resistant trees that can live for 250 years. You may have seen branches growing out of burned trunks and wondered how they are so adaptable to be able to survive wildfires that can burn a tree from its roots to its crown. Did you know a coast live oak has both male and female flowers on the same tree? Did you know its leaves pull in water from coastal fog? Often we’ll scuff through the leaf litter below a coast live oak with our shoes not realizing that litter is critical to its survival. Why? And why is it called a “live oak”? Answers to these questions and more information on these marvelous leafy neighbors of ours can be found in naturalist Laura Pasetta’s video that can be viewed through https://www.wild-rootz.com/cosf. Enjoy!


About Laura Pasetta

Laura Pasetta is a certified naturalist and chaparral guide; she also is trained in therapeutic herbal medicine. Her teachings cover ecosystems, ethnobotany, medicinal plants, and native plant landscaping. Her passion, years of outdoor experience and desire to share the wonders of our Southern California open spaces are all evident in the wonderful videos she’s sharing.


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