Coast Live Oak care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) wants full sun and a drink about every 21 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 8 to 10. It is toxic to pets — worth keeping out of reach.
| scientific name | Quercus agrifolia |
|---|---|
| family | Fagaceae |
| category | tree |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | full sun |
| water cadence days | 21 |
| mature height cm | 2000 |
| min zone | 8 |
| max zone | 10 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | true |
| toxic to humans | false |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Coast Live Oak?
California native; NO summer water near the trunk.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: medium. Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is high. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 20 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 60 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 5.5. It tolerates soil up to pH 7.5. Its fertility requirement is low. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: no. It needs at least 220 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is low. Its tolerance of chalky soil is low. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to 7°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a single crown form. Its growth rate is slow. Its lifespan is long. It puts on most of its growth in spring, summer, fall. It spreads by seed at a slow rate. It resprouts after damage: no. Coppices: no. At maturity it reaches about 70.0 feet. By twenty years it is about 25 feet. Its roots go down at least 36 inches. Its shape is irregular. It holds its leaves through winter: yes.
What it looks like
It blooms in early spring. The flowers are yellow. Conspicuous in flower: no. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is medium. In summer the canopy is dense in porosity. In winter it is dense in porosity. Fall colour: no. The fruit or seed is brown. Fruit begins in summer. Fruit finishes by fall. It fruits medium. The fruit persists on the plant: no. The fruit is conspicuous: yes.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: yes. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: no. Seedling vigour is high. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: Drafted from US Cooperative Extension horticulture guidance; pending HUMAN-05 review (issue 280) · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02