Quercus geminata
.jpg)
Photographs belong to the photographers who allow use for FNPS purposes only. Please contact the photographer for all other uses.
Sand Live Oak
Fagaceae
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Tree | |
| Size: | Height is largely a function of fire frequency, 20-30 ft tall if not burned. Crown width about half the height. | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | NA | |
| Fruit Color: | NA | |
| Phenology: | Evergreen. Inconspicuous flowers in early spring. Acorns mature in autumn of same year. | |
| Noted for: | Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Specimen tree, shade tree. Thicket in dry sandy areas. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seed, but readily available as a containerized sapling. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Short very dry periods ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Short very dry periods ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Adaptable | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
Valued by the Florida scrub-jay for its acorns which are relatively low in tanins and often used as a nesting tree. Acorns used by woodpeckers and wild turkey Valued by squirrels and other mammals including white tailed deer Acorns are low in tannins making them a preferred nut by birds and other wildlife. | |
| Insects: | Larval host plant for oak hairstreak (Fixsenia favonius), Horace's duskywing (Erynnis horatius), red-banded hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops) and white-M hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) butterflies. possible larval host for Juvenal's duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis). | |
| Native Habitats: | Scrub, sandhill, scrubby flatwoods, flatwoods, coastal hammocks. Increases in flatwoods under winter burn management. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 8A 8B 9A 9B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| General Comments: | Slower growing and generally smaller than live oak. Extremely drought tolerant. In environments where there is fire, this is often a small clonal shrub or cluster of small trees. |