Trees , to 20 m, trunks usually solitary. Twigs yellowish or brown, persistently puberulent, with spreading hairs. Buds yellowish or cream, usually fusiform, 6-12 mm, apex acute, densely pubescent. Leaf blade abaxially light green, velvety to touch, sparsely to densely covered with erect simple and (2-)4-5(-6)-rayed hairs 0.3-1 mm.

Flowering spring. Oak woodlands, margins of redwood forests, mixed evergreen forests; 0-800 m; B.C.; Calif., Oreg., Wash.

Quercus garryana var. garryana possibly extends to Los Angeles County as isolated trees in riparian situations.