Southern Live Oak
Quercus virginiana
Southern Live Oak
Urban Forest Tree Walk
Scientific name:
Quercus virginiana
Where to find it:
A large, sprawling, picturesque tree, usually graced with Spanish moss and strongly reminiscent of the Old South. Southern live oak is one of the broadest spreading of the oaks, providing large areas of deep, inviting shade.
Reaching 60 to 80 feet in height with a 60 to 120 foot spread and usually possessing many sinuously curved trunks and branches, Southern live oak is an impressive sight for any large-scale landscape. An amazingly durable American native, it can measure its lifetime in centuries if properly located and cared for in the landscape. It makes an excellent street tree in the South. Unfortunately, oak wilt has devastated the tree in parts of central Texas. Give it plenty of room since the trunk can grow to more than six feet in diameter.
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