Louisiana Live Oak Trees
Live Oak trees are an unofficial symbol of the coastal South. From the Tidewater region of Virginia to the southern tip of Texas, these sprawling picturesque hardwoods serve as the perfect backdrop to so many classic scenes of the region. Louisiana live oak trees are probably the most famous of them all. So why are these trees so unique, and where does the name come from?
Live Oaks – The Origin Of the Name
Most oak trees in the world, and most hardwoods for that matter, have one thing in common. They are deciduous. First, in spring, a typical hardwood will grow new leaves. Then the hardwoods will hold those leaves through summertime. Finally, in autumn, the hardwoods will drop their dying leaves. After a winter of dormancy, they will start fresh in spring.
Conversely, live oak trees are a rare hardwood that is evergreen. The live oak will have a full canopy of leaves that last throughout the year. Therefore, the live oak tree does not “die” in winter, but instead stays “alive” year round. There are only a handful of hardwood trees in the world that are evergreen, and the live oak is probably the most famous.
Is It a Live Oak?
Resurrection fern on a Louisiana Live Oak Tree
Surprisingly there are is another evergreen oak that look like Louisiana live oak trees. The Laurel Oak trees and the Water Oak trees are both semi evergreen. This means that they do drop leaves in springtime, but they have a new set of leaves that sprout immediately afterwards. The easiest way to distinguish a live oak is by looking at the shape of the tree. The live oak does not grow as tall. It also tends to grow very wide with several large branches shooting out in differing directions. On the other hand, laurel and water oaks tend to have a main vertical trunk with smaller limbs coming directly out of it.
The Things That Grow on Live Oaks
If you spend time in Louisiana, you will start to notice how the live oak trees in the region have other plants living on them. The first and most famous is the Spanish moss. Spanish moss is a misnomer. It is not Spanish, and it is not a moss. The Spanish term is a reference to its prevalence in the former Spanish colonies of Florida and Texas. And while it may look like a moss or a lichen, it is actually considered a flowering air plant.
Resurrection fern on a Louisiana Live Oak Tree
Lastly, the resurrection fern is a type of wet weather fern that grows on live oak branches. Like the Spanish moss, the resurrection fern is a non-parasitic air plant. The term resurrection comes from the fern’s ability to go dormant for up to ten years when it doesn’t have enough water. However after a good rainfall, it will pop back to life in a vibrant green.
