In addition, live oak roots and leaves produce a chemical which prevents plant growth nearby, thanks to an adaptation called allelopathy. Gardeners have long found it a challenge to add grass and other plants to a landscape with live oak trees, since the large, thick canopy makes for a shady understory. The live oak is a semi-evergreen that sheds its leaves in late winter, but they are immediately replaced with new leaf growth. The oldest known specimen in Texas is in Goose Island State Park in Rockport and is more than 1,200 years old. The limbs of a live oak are strong and thick, and the tree is one of the slower growing varieties of oak trees. The live oak owes its name to the fact that the tree is evergreen rather than deciduous, as most other oak species are.

Live OakĪlthough the live oak ( Quercus virginiana) only grows to 50 feet tall, it can spread out up to 100 feet with big limbs reaching the ground in all directions. Resist the urge to mulch around the tree to curb water buildup. To avoid overwatering, check drainage in your yard to make sure the soil around the tree’s base doesn’t get too moist and to avoid tree rot. Do not remove or add dirt or other materials within the root system boundary. To protect these oaks in your landscape, avoid hardscaping near the boundary of the tree’s root system to minimize soil compaction. Since the tree’s root system is shallow, post oaks are sensitive to excessive watering and the impact caused by new construction. Mature trees can grow to a height of 50 feet or more, with a diameter of up to two feet. Post oaks thrive in Texas because they require little water and tolerate heat well. They shed their distinctive cross-shaped leaves in the fall, and the fall color is brown or red. They often die when the soil around their base is disturbed or compacted. Post oak trees are not adapted for landscape use because they are difficult to transplant and have a slow growth rate. This type of oak is so common that an entire ecoregion is named after it: Post Oak Savannah. The post oak ( Quercus stellata) grows in most parts of Texas and is one of the most important oak trees for wildlife because of the large number of acorns it produces. Which varieties of oak trees grow best in Texas, and what are their characteristics? Read on to learn more. To identify other species which grow in Texas by the shape and size of the leaf, consult the Trees of Texas database. These trees have between seven and nine lobes. Red oaks have leaves which come to a point at the ends instead of the rounded tips of post oaks and live oaks. These leaves are up to a foot long with five to nine lobes. Bur oaks have leaves that resemble post oaks. Live oak leaves look very different from post oak leaves, with an oval shape and a glossy surface which is usually between two and four inches long. These leaves usually measure between four and six inches and have five lobes.

Depending on the species, the leaves can be a different shape or have a different number or shaped “lobes”, which are the parts of the leaf which curve outward from the primary vein.Ī post oak leaf is usually dark green, thick and leathery. Oaks have what is called “alternate” leaves, which means that only one leaf emerges from the stem, which gives the appearance that the leaves are alternating from one side to another. These trees fall into two primary categories: red oaks and white oaks. There are about 60 different types of oak trees which are native to North America. Oak Tree Leaves: Similarities And Differences These trees can also help decrease your utility bills, protect against erosion, add to your landscape’s aesthetic appeal, buffer your home from strong winds and add to the value of your home. Some oak trees grow more quickly than others and make good trees for landscaping. Even after an oak tree dies in the wild, it provides shelter as it slowly decays. Oak trees are important for wildlife because they provide acorns for food, and the large trees provide shelter within their huge branches. In fact, there are more than 50 varieties native to Texas.

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