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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Quercus geminata (Sand live oak)
Cressler, Alan

Quercus geminata

Quercus geminata Small

Sand Live Oak

Fagaceae (Beech Family)

Synonym(s): Quercus virginiana var. geminata, Quercus virginiana var. maritima

USDA Symbol: QUGE2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Sand live oak is an evergreen rhizomatous shrub or medium tree to 50 feet (15.2 m), occasionally to 95 feet (28.9 m). BARK: dark brown or black with scaly plates. TWIGS and BUDS: light tan to light gray pubescent twigs becoming smooth the second year; dark brown ovoid buds, scale margins may be pubescent. LEAVES: short petiole 1⁄8 - 3⁄8 inch (3 - 10 mm) in length, leaf blade narrowly elliptic, 1 3⁄8 - 2 3⁄8 inches (35 - 60 mm) long 3⁄8 - 11⁄8 inches (10 - 29 mm) wide, cupped beneath, base cuneate, margins entire revolute (wavy); upper surface is shiny, light to dark green with impressed secondary veins, lower surface covered with dense whitish bloom (glaucous) that rubs off.

Sand live oak is utilized as lumber and landscape plantings. The largest sand live oaks (co-champions) are both located in Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida.

 

From the Image Gallery

4 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub , Tree
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Elliptic
Leaf Venation: Pinnate
Leaf Margin: Entire
Leaf Base: Cuneate
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious
Inflorescence: Catkin
Fruit Type: Nut
Size Notes: Small tree to 50 feet (15.2 m), occasionally to 95 feet (28.9 m).
Fruit: Acorns annual; produced in clusters of 1 - 3 on long peduncles 3⁄8 - 4 inches (10 - 101 mm) in length; cup with whitish or gray scales that are smooth or pubescent, covers 1⁄3 of nut; smooth, dark brown, ovoid or barrel-shaped nut, 5⁄8 - 1 inch (16 - 25 mm) long.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AL , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , SC
Native Distribution: Louisiana to North Carolina on the coastal plain.
Native Habitat: Deep sandy soils in mixed pine or hardwood stands.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Used for landscape plantings.
Use Other: Utilized as lumber.
Interesting Foliage: yes

Bibliography

Bibref 1134 - Field Guide to Native Oak Species of Eastern North America (2003) Stein, John D. and Denise Binion

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Additional resources

USDA: Find Quercus geminata in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Quercus geminata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Quercus geminata

Metadata

Record Modified: 2014-10-07
Research By: DEW

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