How Tall Is a Southern Live Oak?

Description

• A shade tree, the live oak usually grows at a medium rate to about 40 feet to 80 feet and can spread to as much as 100 feet. Its shiny leathery leaves grow to 5 inches and are not lobed like those of other oak tree species. They are dark green on top and paler green underneath, and their edges curl down into themselves. Like all oaks, Quercus virginiana produces acorns that are a favorite food for birds such as jays, wild turkeys and wood ducks, as well as mammals such as raccoons, deer and squirrels. The acorns are green when they appear then turn dark brown as they mature.

Growth Rate

• According to the Arbor Day Foundation, growth rate is calculated by how much height a tree adds in one year. Trees that add 12 inches or less of height in a year are considered slow-growing, while medium growth, as is exhibited by the live oak, translates to 13 to 24 inches. A fast-growing tree gains 25 inches or more per year. As the Southern live oak grows taller, its main branches often develop a twisted, swollen appearance and intertwine. The base of the tree sometimes exhibits exposed roots that eventually take on the gnarled look of the rest of the tree.

Habitat

• The Southern live oak is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 to 10 and does well in most areas within that range. Usually an evergreen, the live oak loses its leaves if grown close to the edge of USDA zone 7, where winters are colder. The trees inhabit an area that ranges from south and central Texas east to Florida and Virginia and south to the Florida keys. Highly resistant to wind, they do best in moist, sandy, well-drained soil, but tolerate some dry weather, during which they may not develop to their maximum height or spread.

Growing Live Oaks

• Because of its potential to develop into a large tree with a wide spread, the live oak is best planted as a single specimen tree. The University of Florida recommends removing multiple trunks and branches as the young tree develops, as they can break away from the main trunk as it ages. Select a spot that will receive either full sunlight or some sunlight with partial shade.