Oak
Southern Live Oak
Quercus virginiana
An iconic native evergreen oak known for its massive, sprawling canopy and long lifespan, often spanning centuries. Southern Live Oak holds its leathery, dark green leaves year-round, providing constant shade and a strong architectural presence in the landscape.
Growing Specifications
- Height
- 40-80 feet at maturity
- Spread
- 60-100 feet, often wider than tall with age
- Watering
- Low to Moderate once established; drought tolerant
- Light
- Full Sun
- Heat Tolerance
- Excellent; extremely well adapted to Texas heat, humidity, and drought once established
- Growth Rate
- Slow to Moderate
- Soil Requirement
- Highly adaptable; tolerates sandy, clay, and compacted soils
North Texas Micro-climate Notes
As a native Texas species, this specimen is exceptionally well suited to North Texas heat, humidity, and soil variability, requiring little special site preparation once established.
Care Instructions
Plant in a location with ample room for mature spread. Water regularly during the first two to three years of establishment; minimal supplemental water needed thereafter. Prune only to remove dead or crossing branches, ideally in winter dormancy.
Landscape Usage
Outstanding as a long-term shade tree for large properties, parks, and estate landscapes where its eventual massive canopy can be given room to spread.
Fun Fact
Despite the name, Southern Live Oak is not a true evergreen in the coniferous sense — it sheds and replaces its leaves gradually each spring, so the canopy never looks bare.
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