live oak trees

Live Oak Tree Growth

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Highrise live oak tree

Knowing what stage of growth a tree is in is imperative when working with the tree. The stage of growth in terms of time depends heavily on the tree species, for example a maple tree can be grown to twenty years while an oak of twenty years is still a minor. Therefore, the stage of growth should be evaluated by the actions of the tree and not chronological age.

Formative Stage

  • Rapid root growth and stem
  • Low volume of dead wood and dysfunctional tissue
  • The vitality of high growth and lots of good general health
  • Nearly 100% live tissue

Mature Stage

  • Tree reaches full size
  • The food produced by the leaves is stable
  • Growth slows and higher growth extends outward more than upward
  • Tips to grow more lateral than vertical
  • Top of the natural loss of limbs
  • Tissue Augmentation dysfunctional
  • Present decaying wood caused by fungal growth or sunken places
  • Fifty percent or less dynamic mass

Veteran Status

  • Crown dieback
  • Loss of limbs
  • Damage and deterioration of the stems and roots
  • Little or no growth
  • Low-energy due to the decrease in leaf area and health
  • Decrease in the main terminal to the eventual death

For trees with firm defense systems the veteran’s age may be the longest stage, while most fast-growing trees can range from veteran to dead in a matter of few years. The best way to ensure longer life for any tree is to keep it well watered, fertilized and pest-free and of course, originally planted in an environment that was meant to exist.

The shorter lifespan of a tree comes to the opposite of all these things. Life expectancy also shortens often exacerbated by poor care as a result of tree services providers who do not understand how to evaluate a tree for the care and make healthy tree pruning or crown.

Live Oak Tree Scientific Name

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Live Oak Trees

Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)

A large, sprawling, picturesque tree that is highly desirable as a landscape tree. The live oak tree is one of the broadest spreading of the oaks, providing large areas of deep, inviting shade. Reaching 40 to 60 feet in height with a 60 to 100 foot spread and usually possessing many sinuously curved trunks and branches.

The live oak tree is an impressive sight for any large-scaled landscape. Give it plenty of room since the trunk can grow to more than six feet in diameter. An amazingly durable American native tree, it can measure its life in centuries if properly located and cared for in the landscape.

In Texas, live oak trees learned ten thousand years ago that Texas soils and environmental conditions are not conducive for propagation from the acorns. They depend on animals and birds to transplant acorns away from the parent tree for the sake of forest diversity. Live oaks are very bad parents and do not want competition from their siblings, so they predispose a fungus to kill the germination of the acorns that remain under the tree.

Live oaks propagate in a very unusual manner, they put out ramets (sending-up root sprouts) from the mature roots, or otherwise a bud that grows off the root. This method ensures 100% survival as the new shoots have a fully mature root system for support. They actually clone themselves, a Mott or grove of a few or up to hundreds of trees are really all the same tree and can cover large acreage areas.

Live Oak Tree in Texas – An Entertainers Delight

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Live Oak Tree Delight

Why are live oak trees part of the design for hosting entertainment? It is about creating atmosphere and a wonderful atmosphere is easy under a magnificent tree. To do this you must know the elements that make sense rest, relaxation, elegance, pleasure and organize the elements of landscape design so that everything has a comfortable design and is of interest. The design landscape must create intrigue with the different areas to visit and reflect “the excitement factor”.

Create the mood

What creates a great landscape design environment that keeps your guests entertained, fill their glasses of wine, sweet smell and taste of hoers task. Regardless of the budget and the elements a great landscape design for outdoor entertaining should have multiple uses and activities, be comfortable and beautiful. Although very personal, beautiful landscape design must engage with fountains, sculptures, garden art or trees like your live oak in the foreground with stylish and soft lush fall back hedges and bushes. Pathways various guidance materials and the unification of his guests are one space to another with the intrigue and interest, “what else is here” is the emotion you want to generate. How can you make the most of every element of the garden to create maximum beauty, functionality and usability?

Patios and gardens and plantations

Creating a hierarchy of roads, patios and lawns landscape defines the spaces that have different uses. You can also add details the areas of pavement and concrete. For example, you can create an effect of outdoor carpet by the addition of a mosaic pattern to a patio or yard herringbone brick with white stone edge to add visual interest and detail in the definition of space. You can also change color or material routes transition between the larger spaces such as the use of stone carved with the ground cover planted in the middle to soften the effect of the route and provide greater visual interest and softness with the surrounding garden. Grass can serve as patios open to play with clipped hedges and edges of the garden with seating areas, as in a park public were people love seeing other people.

Pools, spas and water sources

Most of the architectural elements of the pools years have become dynamic features built into the water. Sun decks are common to come and give up the pool. Banks can be built along a length total pool to rest. In the pool, also may be shallow to walk. Water sources can take advantage of vertical add a sculptural element to suck as a large spa that descends into the pool vessel or aircraft may be perfectly woven into the pool for the visual and auditory effects.

The outdoor kitchen

Outdoor kitchens have become multimedia rooms. A beautiful outdoor fireplace can serve as a backdrop for a wonderful night outdoors, serving as the function and art. A simple fire pit can provide all the fun and coordination point that you need in a small courtyard. If built in an area, TV and stereo can add to your grilling enjoyment. There are all sorts of variations on the grid configurations. There are combination of grilling and snuff, and like refrigerators or sinks depending on the amount of cooking you see doing for your guests. Outdoor kitchens also indoor entertainment outdoors.

Seats

Seats have to change from passive to comfortable. This includes passive seating walls and concrete, stone or wooden benches, the areas were your guests can sit or stand against speaking with someone for a short mix of conversation. At the next level that may be able to eat and socialize. Then, more comfortable chair to sit on large family and relaxation.

Landscape lighting

The soft light blue glow of a live oak branch and leaves cascading across a stone bench. The environment of flickering light and water and surface brightness in a pool. Floodlit is really what creates the state mood and sets the tone for the enjoyment of all night. High-voltage mercury vapor lighting emits a soft glow at night surreal creating a new effect complete the landscape design. Hot accent lights can be carefully placed to give interest to the sculptures, urns, bowls of flowers or light up the beauty of a ornamental live oak tree.

Build an outdoor extravaganza

The more you can add the above elements, plus the design of your garden landscape becomes an experience for meetings, events and private renewal. Just as the interior of your home provides different use areas for the garden should reflect its many public and private needs and dreams.

Live Oak Trees Commemorate Special Events And Guests

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Live Oak Trees Commemorate Special Events and Guests

According to the Sea Island Company (seaisland.com), planting live oak trees has become a meaningful way for visitors to commemorate special events as well as mark the visit of honored guests to Sea Island ever since the visit of President Calvin Coolidge in 1928. The live oak has been claimed as the state tree of Georgia, and is considered a symbol of majesty and strength. The following documents those famous visits:

President Calvin Coolidge – December 1928

President Calvin Coolidge planted the first commemorative oak during the Christmas holidays shortly after “The Cloister” opened its doors. President and Mrs. Coolidge were visiting Sea Island Company founder Howard Coffin at his home on Sapelo Island.

President Dwight Eisenhower – May 1946

This oak was planted after President Eisenhower was elected, in honor of the visit he and Mrs. Eisenhower made to Sea Island in 1946.

Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard – April 1952

Queen Juliana and her husband Prince Bernhard spent Easter weekend on Sea Island and added an oak to the grounds. During their visit, the royal couple was attending as honored guests at an oyster roast hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Alfred W. Jones, Sr., at Altama Plantation.

President Gerald Ford – December 9, 1979

After his term of office, President Ford planted a commemorative oak while visiting as a guest of honor at a meeting and golf tournament at Sea Island.

President Jimmy Carter – July 28, 1981

President Carter assembled his first cabinet at The Cloister shortly after being elected in 1976. Accompanied by Mrs. Carter, he returned to plant an oak in July 1981.

Eugene O’Neill – May 12, 1988

A live oak was planted by Connecticut College, New London, Conn., to commemorate the playwright’s 100th birthday. O’Neill, who spent his youth in New London, lived on Sea Island from 1931 to 1936 in the cottage he and his wife, Carlotta Monterey, built and named Casa Genotta. O’Neill wrote his only comedy, “Ah, Wilderness!” on Sea Island; with it, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1936.

President George H.W. Bush – September 29, 1991

President Bush planted a commemorative oak while he and Mrs. Bush were vacationing in 1991 at “The Cloister”, site of their 1945 honeymoon. They also visited in January 1995, to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. During that visit, President Bush played the opening round at Ocean Forest Golf Club. The former president returned in August 2001 to open the 38th Walker Cup Match at Ocean Forest.

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher – April 1994

The former British prime minister has been called the most enthusiastic planter at Sea Island. Most honorees sprinkle a ceremonial shovel full of dirt; Mrs. Thatcher went around the tree shoveling the dirt, despite the fact she wore a pink suit. Her security guard was heard to say that Mrs. Thatcher would have packed down the dirt had she been wearing her gardening shoes.

President George W. Bush – June 7, 2004

President Bush hosted the G8 Summit, the most significant annual gathering of the eight leaders of the free world, on Sea Island from June 8-10, 2004. In the tradition of his father, he planted a commemorative oak close to his father’s.

Prime Minister Tony Blair – June 11, 2004

The British Prime Minister and his wife planted a commemorative oak during their visit for the G8 Summit.

The Sea Island Summit First Ladies – November 16, 2004

The Sea Island Gardening Group planted an oak to commemorate the visit to Sea Island by five of the First Ladies whose husbands participated in the G8 Summit. Those Ladies included Laura Bush of the United States, Cherie Blair of the United Kingdom, Bernadette Chirac of France, Sheila Martin of Canada, and Ludmilla Putin of the Russian Federation.

Additional live oaks on the grounds of The Cloister honor Georgia founder James Oglethorpe, the 50th anniversary of The Cloister, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred W. Jones, Sr., and the Sea Island Employees in celebration of the 2000 Millennium. It is exciting to see the many ways live oak trees are used to mark momentous occasions, and this is just one example. These famous live oaks will be alive many generations from the day they were planted since some trees live hundreds of years or more.

Live Oak Trees: Weather Resistant and Virtually Perfect

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Live Oak Trees: Weather Resistant and Virtually Perfect

Small town main streets across the southern US of A are where a lot of us call home. Even to those who are not from small towns still can look at picture or portrait of one and feel the love and homely feeling. Main streets all along the south are rippled gorgeous, picturesque, cathedral live oak trees. These trees as they grow seem to reach such great heights and then stretch out their branches as if they were holding hands. Like friends walking hand and hand down a country road. Live Oaks are some of the most weather resistant steadfast trees around. They really do stand up for the tests of time.

As many natural disasters’ have plagued the southern US, these beautiful trees withstand many of their warpaths. Like in 2004, Florida, the southern most state, had one of the worst hurricane seasons yet. Three major hurricanes hit the state almost back to back to back.

Author and landscape designer Pamela Crawford and researcher Barbara Hadsell researched and studied the damage state wide to see which tree/ s held up the best through the torturous weather conditions. The answer the came to was the Southern Live Oak tree. So many trees were either damaged or up rooted completely during the storms throughout the state that there was much information to be collected. Although thousands, if not more trees were damaged in the wake of the storms the live oak had stood strongest. Whether it be from there deeply rooted root systems, their well-balanced cathedral like branches and foliage or some other scientific fact, they stood this test of time, which Mother Nature had thrust upon them.

Live Oaks have always been known throughout history as a symbol of strength and longevity and during those storms, they said it louder. One might say these small town main streets scattered across the southern United States might have placed them along their streets and roadways as if to protect the small town charm held beneath. Maybe put there not only for their looks, their homely appeal, and inviting nature but as small a reminder that the south is strong. Since finding out all this information, I have started to wonder if these simple radiant trees are still standing tall today to almost mock at Mother Nature and tell her that they, the Southern Live Oak trees are way to strong for the wrath of even her.

Landscaping Makeover With Live Oaks

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Landscaping Makeover With Live Oaks

The front yard of your home can really benefit a lot from a landscaping makeover. Landscaping is not just reserved to the backyard alone. In fact the front yard is your home’s first chance to make visitors feel welcome and convey your personality. If you are unsure whether the front of your home is as inviting as you’d like it to be, then you should certainly consider how you can enhance its appearance.

I make my living developing layouts for other people’s yards and making them a reality, I am a landscaper. Now keep this a secret just between you and I, but my opinion on landscaping is that no one really needs to hire a landscaper if they could do the work themselves. The exception to this rule is of course large or multiple jobs. Of course I don’t share this secret with my clients, I need to earn a living somehow but if you have good landscaping ideas, you’ll enjoy the fruits of your labor that much more if you do it yourself. You’ll have a sense of pride that you’ve done the design and work yourself, and exactly to the design you wanted.

You can start by giving your home a more welcoming look by adding flowers to a front-yard garden. You can use a variety of flowerbeds or add elegance by lining the walkway to your home. Vibrant colorful flowers nestled in natural pine mulch are eye-candy for you and your visitors. They will almost certainly enhance your visitor’s first impression of you, and your home.

Personally I believe there are four main reasons why people don’t do their own landscaping work. It’s either a lack of interest, lack of know-how, lack of time, or no landscaping ideas. Now if you don’t have the time to do the work there isn’t much you can do about that, but you can learn how to do the landscaping tasks, and there are great landscaping ideas everywhere.

Ideas and designs can come in an array of places. Magazines offer a lot of interesting techniques for landscaping and gardening on all types of budgets. Look at gardening, home improvement or architectural magazines; they are great for showing vibrant pictures with landscaping ideas in them. Also do not be afraid to search websites for landscape and gardening ideas. I believe the very best place to look for an idea is right in your own community. What are other people doing around you with their yards?

You can use trees and bushes to line your home’s porch or front garden for a great architectural effect. You should always maintain them properly to keep them neat. Consider using fruit trees and dogwoods for their beauty and relaxing fragrances. Ornamental trees like live oaks also offer elegance and a sense of arrival to guests of your home.

Depending on the size of your porch you can add various pieces of furniture such as benches and rockers to enhance the feel of warmth and comfort. You can also increase its appeal with plants of various colors and sizes, and even train decorative climbers to accentuate railings and arches. Don’t forget to pay attention to your pathways, and ensure they are in good state of repair and always clean. This will make your sidewalk more appealing and safer too. Be creative with materials you could use, such as ornamental boulders or colored concrete as a main feature.

Adding a pond or small fountain to your front yard can enhance the sense of beauty, calmness, and serenity. Just make certain your plans are not overly ambitious if you do this yourself as the result could be frustrating. You can also brick or stones to add even more interest to the water feature. Surround your water feature with boulders and/or plants to enhance it even more.

Keep it simple, this is probably the best piece of advice to follow when it comes to landscaping your front yard. Avoid messy and over-complicated settings: if you keep it neat and trim you will enjoy walking up to your front door, regardless of your chosen decorative scheme. To tell you the truth, this is where I get a lot of my landscaping ideas. When I drive by a yard I think looks wonderful I take a moment to stop and think, what is it about that garden or patio that makes it stand out. How could I integrate the greatness of that design into my work?

Now, I am not suggesting you copy your neighbor’s yard, but you could take ideas from everywhere. You can also get great ideas from museums, public gardens, or people down the street, and once you borrow those ideas, make them your own! You will find yourself with a beautiful design and layout after some inspiration. Enjoy the process of developing a wonderful unique layout, and take the time to make it look beautiful.

Planting My Privacy Trees

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Planting my privacy trees

“I finally have my gorgeous live oak privacy trees in my yard! I could not be happier with my choice of mature trees for my landscape. The wholesaler Southern Pride Tree Farm did an excellent job of delivering my trees on time and my landscaper did a wonderful job of planting my new trees. Now when I look out my picture window I see these amazing trees instead of just grass and a road. It really adds a lot of romantic class to my home.

The process was a little intimidating at first but it all went a lot smoother than I thought it would. When I first contacted Southern Pride to order my privacy trees it was explained to me that I would need to contact a landscaper to help move these trees into place. Since the trees for privacy I ordered weigh 10,000 pounds each my landscaper would have to have the proper equipment to handle this job.

Luckily the landscaping company I have been using the last few years had experience moving big trees so that was a big plus for me. Since I was going to have 5 1/2 feet deep holes dug into my yard for the trees to be placed into I also had to contact my utility companies to come and mark off where all the lines ran on my property.

So on the day I had set to have my trees delivered the landscapers came out to dig these holes and I swear to you they were big enough for a person to jump down in there and not be seen. I was almost tempted to try it! I was really worried that the equipment might cause damage to my yard or the sidewalks but again my landscaper came through for me and there were no problems.

My live oak trees really do look great now (even the neighbors came out to watch them plant my trees!) and I am sure that despite my lack of a green thumb they will thrive. The owner of Southern Pride Tree Farm Jimmy Gray, has been growing live oak trees for over 20 years according to the website. They also assured me that if I ever have any questions or concerns about my trees I can call them for support.

All in all I received a fair wholesale price on my three trees, I received great service, and I am beyond THRILLED with how my yard looks. I would happily recommend Southern Pride and do business with them again.

For the best privacy trees check them out for yourself if you like: Southern Pride Tree Farm.”

– From a very happy Southern Pride Tree Farm customer

Live Oak Trees For Sale

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Live Oak Tree for Sale

A big, sprawling, picturesque tree, usually decorated with Spanish moss and strongly reminiscent of the old South, oak is one of the widest dissemination of the Oaks, providing large areas of deep, inviting shade. The live oak is the tree state of Georgia.

Reaching 40 to 60 feet tall, with a gap of 60 to 100 feet and usually with sinuous curves of many trunks and branches, oak is an impressive sight for any large-scale landscape. An amazingly durable American native, it can measure its lifetime in centuries if properly located and cared for in the landscape.

Live oak is usually pest-free. Occasionally mites infest the foliage, but they are of little concern in the landscape. There is some concern for a newly discovered Texas live oak decline. Galls cause homeowners much concern. There are many types and galls can be on the leaves or twigs of live oak. Most galls are harmless so chemical controls are not suggested.

Light requirement: tree grows in part shade/part sun; tree grows in full sun
Soil tolerances: clay; loam; sand; acidic; occasionally wet; alkaline; well-drained
Drought tolerance: high
Aerosol salt tolerance: high
Soil salt tolerance: moderate

Once established, Live Oak will thrive in almost any location and has very good wind resistance. Live Oak is a tough, enduring tree that will respond with vigorous growth to plentiful moisture on well-drained soil. Like other Oaks, care must be taken to develop a strong branch structure early in the life of the tree. Be sure to eliminate multiple trunks and branches which form a narrow angle with the trunk as these are likely to split from the tree as it grows older.

Best growth is made in moist, acid soil, sand, loam or clay, but the tree is amazingly adapted to drought. It also tolerates alkaline soil well. Young trees grow three feet each year and the trunk adds about one-inch in diameter under nursery conditions.

Recommended Tree Nursery – Southern Pride Tree Farm – Live Oaks for Sale

source: about.com

From The Live Oak Tree Farm

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From the Farm

A field-grown live oak tree is planted into native soils, grown to a harvestable size, harvested prior to sale and transported to the job site. Field-grown live oak trees are referred to as balled and burlapped (B&B) because the root system is harvested and wrapped in burlap. Live oak trees are placed in wire baskets to support the root system and to make it possible to lift the live oak by the root ball rather than the trunk.

Many studies have been done to compare B&B Live Oak trees with container grown live oak trees after planting. One such study from the University of Florida Horticulture Department (1996) shows how B&B take to a new environment as long as certain root pruning and irrigation procedures are done in the nursery. Live oak trees in our field-grown nursery are maintained with drip irrigation, fertilizer, selective shoot pruning, and root pruning. Root pruning, drip irrigation and fertilizer help build a strong, dense root system, while selective pruning is used to guide the live oak tree into the desired form.

Our field-grown live oak trees are hardened-off or cured after harvesting. This hardening-off process lasts three to four weeks and it simply involves providing the live oak with optimum irrigation during the few weeks after harvesting. This step, as simple as it may seem, is crucial to the health and survivability of the live oak tree.

After the live oak tree is hardened-off it is ready to ship (see our shipping process page) to the landscape site. New roots that have begun to develop are ready to grow immediately into the landscape. These new roots growing outside of the burlap are a sign of quality. Our Quality Root System Guarantee reminds you of the care taken to assure the survival of our live oak trees in your landscape. Look for roots outside of the burlap, our QRS Guarantee assures that you are planting a quality hardened-off live oak tree.

Live Oak Trees Florida Georgia and Texas

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Live Oak Trees Florida Georgia and Texas

Savannah Georgia comes to mind when one thinks of live oak trees. The trees classic beauty of Spanish moss along the streets with historic homes before the war are unforgettable.

Live oak grows throughout the southeastern United States. Located on the east coast of southeastern Virginia to Florida and west to southern Texas and central. It grows mainly in sandy soils of low coastal areas but also grows in rich woods in wet or dry sand. It has a resistance to salt fog, sea salt and does well in the barrier islands.

Live oak is monoecious. This means they have male and female reproductive units in the same plant. They produce flowers each spring from March to May and the acorns ripen in September and fall in December. Live oak acorns are long, dark brown to black and tapered. They are sweet and very popular among birds and other animals.

If when the acorns fall and it is moist with warm soil, the acorn will germinate soon after the fall. Germination is the beginning of seed growth of the acorn. The leaves that develop during germination absorb the moisture that makes food available. The roots came after to find its own water to produce outbreaks. Seeds of live oak leaves remain below the soil surface and shoots sprout abundantly from the roots.

Encinas do not get very tall, rarely over 50 feet but the crown (or the extension) of the tree can have a length of 150 feet. It is a very popular shade tree because to this. Year oak wood is very tough and strong and was used for ship building long ago. The wood is not used today as it is mostly shade and ornamental trees.

Oaks have a tendency to grow in large dense groups with interconnecting roots that make it very susceptible to wilt disease of oaks that is a fungus. This fungus is spread from one oak to another through connected roots and is one of the most severe tree diseases. They kill hundreds of trees in Austin Texas each year in the patches because of its tendency to grow in forests. Certified arborists provide tree services Austin are very experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of wilting.

The wilting symptoms are usually found in the leaves develop yellow veins that turn brown and fall off the tree. The crown of the tree exits diluted until it dies. Wilting can be costly for the treatment and control and an accurate diagnosis is essential. An arborist certification services of trees should be contacted to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.