Glorious Trees in Our Neighborhood: Garry Oaks

I designed a set of Tree Advice Cards with drawings of trees in Beacon Hill Park and included messages they have for us. I believe that Garry Oak with its unique, twisting branches teaches us to “Let go of perfection.”

Ah, our fascinating Garry Oak trees! Did you know that Walt Disney took note of our beloved Garry Oak trees? He liked their eerie, twisted shapes and their unique forms inspired the trees seen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. How cool is that? There are over 600 different species of oak trees around the globe. Eleven are native to Canada. And our precious Garry Oaks are the only oak trees native to British Columbia.

I’m in love with this majestic, old Garry Oak tree in Beacon Hill Park. Some of the Garry Oak trees in the park are believed to be over 500 years old!

Throughout history, oak trees have been sacred and prized in cultures around the world. They are a symbol of strength and wisdom and linked with the gods and royalty. For centuries, oak trees have given us wood for building furniture, ships, musical instruments, wine barrels and more. Their bark, leaves and acorns have given us food and medicine for a wide variety of ailments.

And here on the island and down to southern California, along the coast, our Garry Oak trees (also called Oregon White Oaks south of the border) have flourished in the past and are now struggling.

In the Spring, our Garry Oak ecosystems are lush with beautiful Camas and wildflower blooms. This one is on Beacon Hill.

Did you know that only 5% of our original Garry Oak ecosystems remain? And these special ecosystems support a huge number of birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, butterflies, insects and plants – many that are not found anywhere else in the world. Over 100 species connected with these habitats are listed as threatened, endangered or extinct. Please check out the Garry Oak Ecosystem Recovery Team (goert.ca) for more information and ways you can help.

You can find this stone plaque honouring the Garry Oak just across from Goodacre Lake in Beacon Hill Park, near the pickle ball courts.

You can find Garry Oak trees throughout our James Bay neighborhoods and my favourites are in our beloved Beacon Hill Park. Did you know that the park is a Heritage Tree Site? That’s because many of our trees are over 100 years old…and some of our Garry Oak trees are around 500 years old or more!

Did you know that the crocodile-like bark of the Garry Oak is high in tannins which have antibacterial and antiviral properties? It also has a high amount of quercin which strengthens capillaries. Many indigenous peoples traditionally made the bark into teas and medicinal washes to treat a variety of ailments including sore throats, diarrhea, burns, cuts, insect bites, rashes and tuberculosis.

Hug, protect and save our precious Garry Oak trees. Volunteer and donate to the Garry Oak Ecosystem Recovery Team (goert.ca).

They also carefully tended to our Garry Oak ecosystems by passing them on through generations and regularly creating small, controlled fires to encourage the growth of Camas bulbs, chocolate lilies and acorns. The acorns were soaked and boiled to remove the tannins and then steamed for eating.

I highly recommend reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I recently listened to it on Spotify and its read by the author. It’s so beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. I want to read it again and take notes, it’s filled with so much incredible knowledge, admiration and love for trees, plants, animals and indigenous teachings and ways of seeing the world.

So fun collecting adorable Garry Oak acorns and stitching them into my mixed media collages. The words “There was always fun flying round” are from Emily Carr’s Hundreds and Thousands.  

Want to grow a Garry Oak tree? Collect a handful of acorns this Autumn as soon as they start falling from the trees. Put them in a bucket with water, discard the ones that float to the top, have holes or cracks, and the ones that sit on the bottom making bubbles. Once you’ve found a good acorn, soak it in water for 24 hours and then plant it in an open, sunny location.  

And before you discard the acorns that are not suitable for planting… why not create some art with them? Or according to Celtic lore, bringing an acorn into your home is a way to enhance contact with the fairy realm. Why not try it and see? This article was originally published in the James Bay Beacon newspaper in September 2024.

Helga Strauss is an artist, art teacher, therapeutic arts practitioner, and tree lover… find her at HelgaStrauss.com. Enjoy her super fun and inspiring Tree Tours and joy-filled Art Classes through The Carr House Community Society on Eventbrite.com. And don’t miss her group art show with the Friends of Emily celebrating beautiful birds at Carr House this September.