Garry Oak
Hul’q’umi’num: p’hwulhp
SENĆOŦEN: ĆEṈ¸IȽĆ
Latin: Quercus garryana
Description: P’hwulhp is a deciduous, broadleaf hardwood tree with heavy, gnarled limbs and thick, furrowed, brownish-grey bark. Its leaves are thick with rounded lobes, characteristic of oaks.
Flowers appear alongside new twig and leaf growth and persist until June, with both male and female flowers occurring on the same tree. The male flowers form yellow-green catkins, while the female flowers are tiny, red, and covered in white hairs.
Its smooth, brown acorns feature a rough cap and measure 1.5 to 3 cm in length.
Photo Credits: Kendall McLaughlin
Harvest and Sustainability: Acorns drop from late summer through November. ĆEṈ¸IȽĆ is a key indicator species of endangered Garry Oak ecosystems, which are unique to southern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands.
Uses: Acorns are roasted in their shells to eliminate their bitter taste and store well through the winter, with or without the shell.
Additionally, the bark can be brewed into a tea to treat haemorrhages.
