Mediterranean Holm oak spotted and recorded in Davis, California
iNaturalist: bafflingnewt
Urban Ecology
Holm oaks are drought-tolerant Mediterranean trees increasingly planted in California cities, and tracking where they grow helps us understand which non-native trees are thriving — or spreading — as our climate shifts toward hotter, drier conditions.
A type of oak tree originally from the Mediterranean region was spotted and officially recorded in Davis, California. Called Holm oak, this evergreen tree keeps its leaves year-round unlike most oaks. Citizen scientists verified the sighting, adding it to a growing map of where this tree is showing up in North America.
Key Findings
A research-grade observation of Holm oak (Quercus ilex) was confirmed in Davis, CA — meaning multiple identifiers agreed on the species identification.
The location (Villanova Dr, Davis, CA) places this Mediterranean native in California's Central Valley, a region with a climate increasingly similar to the tree's native range.
The observation contributes to iNaturalist's open biodiversity database, which now holds millions of plant records used by researchers to track species distributions.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A Holm oak (Quercus ilex) has been documented at research-grade quality on Villanova Dr in Davis, California. This Mediterranean evergreen oak is being tracked by citizen scientists as part of broader biodiversity monitoring efforts.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Holm oak (Quercus ilex) observed in Villanova Dr, Davis, CA, US
Research-grade observation of Holm oak in Villanova Dr, Davis, CA, US.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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The holm oak, also called the holly oak, is a large evergreen oak native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the section Ilex of the genus, with acorns that mature in a single summer.