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Live Oak

Hardiness Zones: 7 - 10

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Bare Root or Potted?

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Bare-Root

1′ – 3′

Member Price $9.99

Reg. Price $12.99
Potted 1 Gallon

1′ – 2′

Member Price $49.99

Reg. Price $59.99
Potted 5 Gallon

2′ – 4′

Member Price $89.99

Reg. Price $119.99

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Often seen magnificently draped in Spanish moss, the live oak is the iconic tree of the South. It has been called one of the most impressive North American trees and can live to be hundreds of years old. Today it is a tree appreciated by arborists and city foresters for its wind firmness, adaptability to various soil types, and tolerance to soil compaction and salt spray.

Displays huge branches festooned with Spanish Moss
Has been called “one of the most impressive trees in North America”
Known to be a classic southern oak and grows rapidly when young

Your Tree’s Personality

Shape

Rounded

Growth Speed

Medium

Scientific Name

Quercus virginiana

Mature Height

40' - 80'

Mature Spread

60' - 100'

Sun Preference

Full Sun, Partial Sun/Shade

Soil Preference

Acidic, Alkaline, Clay, Drought, Loamy, Moist, Sandy, Well Drained

Wildlife Value

Sweet live oak acorns are at the top of the food preference list for birds such as wood ducks, wild turkeys, quail and jays, and mammals such as squirrels, raccoons and white-tailed deer.

History/Lore

The live oak provides one of the most indelible images of the Old South. The huge branches of a live oak festooned with Spanish moss and spreading horizontally over grassy lawns is iconic. The tree has long been a favorite not only for its beauty and shade but also for its strong and dense wood. It was once so valuable for wooden vessels that the Navy maintained its own live oak forests. The early Native Americans liked it too, extracting an oil from its sweet acorns that was something akin to modern olive oil. It earned its place in American history as some of the lumber used in the construction of the naval frigate USS Constitution, and when British cannon balls bounced off the hull during a battle, the vessel was thereafter known as "Old Ironsides."

It is the state tree of Georgia.

Planting Instructions