Quercus virginiana Mill.

Live Oak

Tree

Perennial

Vascular

Live Oak is a large native evergreen or semi-evergreen tree in the Beech family (Fagaceae). It is native to the southern-most counties of Alabama, but is widely planted and persists or has escaped in areas north of the natural range. Live Oak occurs in coastal evergreen forests, in hammocks, in pinelands, and in mixed forests. It varies considerably in growth form from a low, rhizomatous shrub to large spreading trees up to 100 feet in height. In open situations it has a rounded, spreading growth form with sinuously curved trunks and branches. Young twigs are light gray in color and pubescent. The bark on the trunk and older branches is dark gray to dark brown, deeply furrowed, and blocky. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, obovate to oblanceolate in outline, with entire and often revolute margins. The leaves are dark green in color and glabrous above, lighter green and densely pubescent with appressed, stellate hairs below. Flowers are produced in early spring from the axils of the leaves. Male flowers are drooping, greenish yellow catkins. The small green female flowers are solitary or paired. The fruit is an oblong black acorn. It is consumed by a variety of birds and mammals. Live Oak is widely planted as an ornamental. It prefers a sunny site and requires a large space to fully develop. The wood is dense and heavy, and was once in great demand for ship building.—A. Diamond

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Native FACU+ (NWPL)

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