# southern live oak (*Quercus virginiana*) The southern live oak is a big, beautiful tree that can live for hundreds of years! It has strong branches that spread wide and provide lots of shade, making it a great place to play or relax. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 19 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![southern live oak](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Live_oak_Georgetown.jpg&width=800) Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Live_oak_Georgetown.jpg) ## Appearance The southern live oak has a majestic, sprawling canopy and evergreen leaves that are dark green and leathery. Its thick branches often grow horizontally, creating a broad, umbrella-like shape, while its dark, furrowed bark adds rugged character. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fagales - **Family:** Fagaceae - **Genus:** Quercus ## Interesting facts - Ancient live oaks were important meeting spots for Native American tribes! - Hundreds of tiny insects and fungi make their home just on one tree! - Its wood is so strong, it was prized for building naval ships long ago! - Some branches can grow so long they touch the ground and reroot! ## Special abilities - **Evergreen Guard:** southern live oak keeps its tough, leathery leaves all year long, helping it stay green and capture sunlight even in winter. - **Spreading Giant:** southern live oak can grow massive, wide-reaching branches that provide vast shade and shelter for many creatures below. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 1500-2000 cm - **Spread:** 2000-4500 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Eastern Gray Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — collects and buries its tasty acorns - **Eats:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses on its leaves and twigs - **Depends on:** [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) — helps plant new oak trees with acorns - **Shelter:** [Black Vulture](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-vulture) (*Coragyps atratus*) — roosts safely in its strong, high branches - **Shelter:** [Spanish Moss](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spanish-moss) (*Tillandsia usneoides*) — grows hanging from its branches for support ## Traits - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Be careful around big trees; they have strong branches that can fall if it's windy. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify southern live oak? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is southern live oak? 1500-2000 cm ### How wide does southern live oak spread? 2000-4500 cm ### How big are the flowers on southern live oak? 0.5-2 cm ### When does southern live oak bloom? Spring ### Is southern live oak edible? No ### Is southern live oak toxic? None ### What is southern live oak's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Broadmoor](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadmoor) — Louisiana, US · Neighborhood - [Charleston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charleston-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [French Quarter](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/french-quarter) — US · Neighborhood - [Secessionville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/secessionville-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Southeast Gainesville Residential District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/southeast-gainesville-residential-district) — Florida, US · Historic District - [Angel Oak](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/angel-oak) — South Carolina, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see southern live oak](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/southern-live-oak) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Southern Live Oak: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/southern-live-oak)