How much sun does Leather oak need?

Leather oak grows best in full sun conditions.

When does Leather oak bloom?

Leather oak blooms in March and April.

Where is Leather oak native?

Leather oak (Quercus durata) is native to CA, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.

What butterflies or moths does Leather oak host?

Leather oak is a larval host plant for California sister butterfly.

Leather oak

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Quercus durata

Last reviewed: September 2026

Toxicity unknown

Leather oak (Quercus durata) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

full sun

Water

low

Size

36"–96" H × 60"–120" W

Bloom

Mar, Apr

Native to

Pollinators

wind-pollinated

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Coast Range Sierra Nevada Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains Southern California Mountains Northwestern Forested Mountains Southern California/Northern Baja Coast

A dense, evergreen scrub oak, known as leather oak, with stiff, cupped, holly-like leaves adapted to serpentine soils. Forms a rounded thicket on dry rocky slopes.

Wildlife value

Host plant for California sister butterfly.

Acorns provide food for birds and mammals, and the foliage hosts California sister butterfly caterpillars.

Common questions

How much sun does Leather oak need?: Leather oak grows best in full sun conditions.
When does Leather oak bloom?: Leather oak blooms in March and April.
Where is Leather oak native?: Leather oak (Quercus durata) is native to CA, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
What butterflies or moths does Leather oak host?: Leather oak is a larval host plant for California sister butterfly.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

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