Quercus Garryana

Day 8: Although I dearly love living among the evergreens, there are a few things I miss from the days when my home was on one of Southwest Washington's prairies, notably Camas and Garry Oak (Quercus, garryana, aka Oregon White Oak). Unlike some of its cousins, Garry does not colour up red in autumn; however, it turns a lovely shade of warm brown which is very pleasing to the eye. The acorn of this species is about twice as long as it is wide and contains a smallish nut which can be ground into flour or eaten after soaking in plain water to remove the tannins. That said, they are a favourite with the squirrels, so you don't often find them on the ground.