Species Description
An evergreen oak tree endemic to the Southeastern United States. Though many other species are loosely called live oak, the southern live oak is particularly iconic of the South.
The branches frequently support other plant species such as rounded clumps of Spanish moss, resurrection fern, and parasitic mistletoe.
Monoecious. Male—yellow-green catkin; female—green to reddish spike that emerges from leaf axils.
Species Details
FAMILY
Fagaceae
GENUS
Fagaceae
20 metres tall, 27 metres spread
LIFE SPAN
up to 1000 years
HEMISPHERE
Northern
ECOSYSTEM
Along the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico and south Atlantic United States, live oak is found in both single and mixed species forests, dotting the savannas, and as occasional clumps in the grasslands along the lower coastal plain. Live oak will survive well on both dry sites and in wet areas, effectively handling short duration flooding if water is moving and drainage is good. Good soil drainage is a key resource component for sustained live oak growth.
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Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_virginiana
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ST564
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