Jurupa Oak facts for kids
The Jurupa Oak, also called the Hurungna Oak, is a truly ancient and special group of Quercus palmeri (Palmer's oak) trees. It's not just one tree, but a whole clonal colony found in the Jurupa Mountains near Crestmore Heights, in Riverside County, California. This amazing oak colony has been alive for an estimated 13,000 years! This makes it one of the oldest living trees in the entire world. A botanist named Mitch Provance discovered it in the 1990s. He quickly realized it was very unusual for its type and likely a very old, connected group of plants.
The Amazing Jurupa Oak
The Jurupa Oak is unique because it's a "clonal colony." This means all the different stems and branches you see are actually genetically identical. They all come from the very same original plant. It's like one big plant that keeps sending out new shoots and stems, instead of growing from seeds.
How the Jurupa Oak Survives
This ancient oak has a clever way of staying alive, especially after tough times. It mostly grows new shoots after wildfires. When its branches get burned, new sprouts pop up from its underground root system. This helps the colony survive and even thrive after fires.
The Jurupa Oak is also special because it's the only one of its kind in the area. Palmer's oaks usually grow in cooler, wetter places at higher altitudes. But the Jurupa Oak lives in a much drier climate and at a lower elevation. This makes its survival even more remarkable!
The colony is made up of about 70 groups of stems. These stems form a thick patch of oak trees. This patch covers an area about 25 meters (82 feet) long and 8 meters (26 feet) wide. The stems usually grow to about one meter (3 feet) tall.
Where to Find the Jurupa Oak
The Jurupa Oak is located in the Jurupa Mountains in California. It's found at an elevation of about 1312 feet (400 meters) above sea level. It grows on a slope that faces north, which helps it get a bit more shade and moisture. You can find its general location near 34°01′59″N 117°23′28″W / 34.033°N 117.391°W.
