A 40-50″ tall tree with a low, dense rounded crown spreading out to more than 100″, the live oak silhouette is easy to recognize. Often draped with Spanish Moss, Cardinal Airplants, Ball Moss, and Butterfly Orchids, these epiphytic plants only use the oak tree for support and as a means to reach more sunlight. Once a staple of our native American diet, Live Oak acorns are a nutritious wildlife food source. The shedding of the older leaves starts as the new leaf growth begins in February in our area.

Latin Name: Quercus Virginianus

Habitat: Oak Hammock, Swamp

Blooms: February