Golden-colored hairs are found on the underside of the leaf.
Male flowers are numerous in clusters on a narrow, long and erect stalk.
Female flowers are short, a few are clustered at the base of the stalks bearing the male flowers. Male and female flowers are creamy-white, emitting a strong odor. Fruits are globe-shaped nuts, broadest near the base which mature in two seasons. The nut is enclosed in a spiny bur or bract as opposed to an acorn found in the genus Quercus and Lithocarpus . Golden Chinkapin is native to the mountain slopes of the Pacific Coast region in western Washington, Oregon, and extending into Central California.