|
Botanical Name: |
Quercus virginiana |
|
Other Names: |
Virginia live oak |
|
Group: |
White Oak |
|
Description: |
Generally 40 to 50 feet tall with 36- to 48-
inch diameter. Branching close to the ground into massive,
wide-spreading limbs, forming a broad, low, dense, round-topped crown. |
|
Habitat: |
On sandy soils along the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal
Plains. |
|
Range: |
From coastal Virginia south through Florida;
west along the Gulf through southern Mississippi and Louisiana, to
west-central Texas; found also in Mexico and Cuba. |
|
Usages: |
Timber |
Of little commercial use |
|
Wildlife |
Live oak acorns are important food source for
many birds and mammals including mallard, wild turkey, squirrels, and
white-tailed deer. This species provides cover for birds and
mammals. The rounded clumps of moss found in live oak trees are
used for nest constructions. |
|
Erosion Control |
This is an excellent species for
reforestation to prevent erosion on originally cleared land for
agriculture. It has potential for revegetating coal mine spoils. |
|
Beautification |
Live oak is used for shade and as a
ornamental. It is considered "one of the noblest trees in the
world and virtually an emblem of the Old South." |
|
General Comments: |
The nation's first publicly owned timber land
was purchased to preserve these trees. The very board branches
are usually draped with Spanish-moss. Today, live oaks are protected
for public enjoyment. |
|
Some
or all of the above information was taken from National Audubon Society
Field Guide to North America Trees, Eastern Region and/or NRCS Plant
Fact Sheet or Plant Guides. |
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