Oaks are the most common plants in scrub. In fact, there are four species of oaks found throughout the preserve including myrtle oak (Quercus myrtifolia), sand live oak (Quercus geminate), Chapman's oak (Quercus chapmanii) and turkey oak (Quercus laevis). The most common oak, myrtle oak, has small spatula shaped leaves. This oak is usually found in shrub form, but will reach small tree size without fire.

Sand live oak, with its longer thin leaves, will reach tree size in the absence of fire as seen near the wetlands. Turkey oak, the least common species, is not usually found in scrub. The deciduous turkey oak is so named because the leaf looks like the shape of a turkey's foot.

In the fall the oak acorns are a valuable food source for the scrub jays. They will gather the acorns throughout the summer, bury them and later retrieve them in the winter.