LIVE OAK
Native to Georgia
Family: fagaceae
“I saw in Louisiana a live-oak growing / All alone stood it, and the moss hung down from the branches.” —Walt Whitman Leaves of Grass, 1860-61
The live oak has nourished and protected the continent’s inhabitants for many centuries. Beginning in pre-Columbian America, Native peoples have ground the tree’s acorns into meal and knew its strong roots could be counted on during disasters.
In the late 1700s, the U.S. Navy recognized the tree’s toughness—and its curved limbs, ideal for ship hulls—and began using it to make particularly sturdy vessels: The world’s oldest ship still afloat, the USS Constitution, launched in 1797, got its nickname, “Old Ironsides,” during the War of 1812 after its hull, made in part of live oak, proved itself equal to the fearsome cannons of the British.
Southern live oak acorns are typically small, oblong, and range in color from tan-brown to nearly black, often with a black tip.
Southern live oaks are known for their association with Spanish moss, which is not actually a moss but a flowering plant. Spanish moss is an epiphyte that grows on various trees, including live oaks, and thrives in humid, coastal environments. While it can sometimes appear to be heavy on the trees, it doesn't harm the live oak and is a common sight in the American South.
The Southern live oak also known simply as the live oak, gets its name from the fact that, unlike other oaks, it doesn't lose its leaves in the autumn.
Different shapes depending on the sun exposure