Of the approximately 600 species of oaks worldwide, roughly 21 are native to California, organized into three groups: the red oaks (sometimes called black oaks), the golden oaks (or intermediate oaks), and the white oaks. This talk will focus on understanding the recent historical identities of the surviving Santa Clara County oaks.

Besides learning about the oaks that surround us, Al will also talk about these and other oak mysteries:

• Where does the blue oak group fit into the red/golden/white oak scheme? (So chromatically confusing!!)

• Are native California oaks super-closely related to oaks anywhere else in the world, or are they something special?

• Is it tricky to apply a specific scientific name to a California oak tree? (Spoiler alert: can be!)