Plant · GBIF taxon 2878092
southern live oak
Quercus virginianaAlso known as Live Oak, Virginia Live Oak
Southern live oaks form massive, low-slung canopies with sweeping limbs that often curve down to touch the surrounding soil. Their thick, leathery leaves remain green throughout winter, dropping briefly in early spring just as vibrant new foliage opens. These long-lived trees anchor coastal ecosystems by stabilizing shorelines and providing habitat for hundreds of epiphytes, birds, and insects.
EvergreenHardwoodIconic
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Sunlight
- Water
- Soil nutrients
Predators
- Gall wasps
- Acorn weevils
- Southern live oak borers
ThreatsOak wilt fungus, land development, severe storm surges, and salt intrusion
HabitatsCoastal plains, maritime forests, oak hammocks, and urban parks
Life span200 to 500 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyFagaceae
- SpeciesQuercus virginiana
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Epiphyte Spotting: Look up into the broad canopy to spot thick mats of resurrection fern and swaying Spanish moss.
- Acorns in Autumn: Search the ground under mature trees in autumn for small, dark brown acorns favored by wildlife.
Epiphytic Symbiont Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Epiphytic Companion (c) psweet, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by psweet · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
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