Encina (Quercus agrifolia)

Family: Fagaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

Bloom Color: Brown. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Rounded, Spreading or horizontal.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Nuts/Seeds

Harvest Seasons: Fall, Late Summer, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

taste test can tell when the tannin has been leached. — Used as a staple food by several native North American Indian tribes.; It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread.; The seed, which is up to 4cm long and 2cm wide, contains bitter tannins - these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost.; Either the whole seed can be used or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder.

Habitat & North American Range

Forming open groves of great extent in valleys and on not too dry slopes in woods below 1000 metres, it is also found on coastal sand dunes. (Zone 8)