Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Saturday - November 03, 2012

From: Katy, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Planting, Trees
Title: Planting Live oak trees in Katy, TX.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

We are building a house in a neighborhood where the HOA requires two live oaks in the front yard. Our lot is pie shaped leaving a very small front yard once you take into acct the driveway and sidewalks. The trees are large and one is already touching the house and they are also touching on the canopys. How far apart should these live oaks be planted and what is safe distance from house, flatwork, and sewer lines etc.?

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants is a bit confused. In the first sentence you tell me you are “building a house where the HOA requires two live oaks in the front yard.” In the next sentence you say that “The trees are large and one is already touching the house----”. This sounds to me like the house is already built, and the oak trees are already planted. Then you ask “How far apart should these live oaks be planted---?”

Never the less, I will try to provide you with some information to answer your questions.

The Texas Tree Planting Guide  is an interactive guide that has lots of information and is fun to use.  From the guide we learn that the live oak Quercus virginiana (Coastal live oak)  is considered a large tree with a mature height of 40 to 80 feet, and approximately the same width. The minimum space requirement would be 180 square ft. Trees should be no closer that 40 to 50 ft. The roots are going to extend out from the trunk to reach the drip line at least, and perhaps even farther.
This guide from the Houston Parks and Recreation Department  recommends  that a tree this size should be no closer than 15 - 20 ft to a structure.

Since you are planting live oaks in Harris county, I am including several links about oak wilt that you and your HOA should be aware of.

Texas Forest Service

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Texas Forest Service

I’m suggesting that given the situation you describe, Live Oaks may not be the tree for you. To look for other possibilities, lets go to our Native Plant Data Base.

Scroll down to our Recommend Species Lists and click on View Recommend Species page. Click on Central Texas on the map, and you will get a list of 156 commercially available native plant species suitable for planned landscapes in Central Texas. This is too many for now, so go to the Narrow Your Search box on the right side of the screen and select Texas under State, tree under Habit, and perennial under Duration. Check sun under Light requirement and dry under Soil moisture. Click on the Narrow your Search button, and you will get a  list of 19 native trees for Texas landscapes. Clicking  on the scientific name of each plant will bring up its NPIN page which contains a description of the plant, its growth characteristics and requirements, and in most cases images. As you check out each plant, you can note its size and other features.

Hopefully, using this and the Texas Tree Planting Guide, you can find a tree that you and your HOA can agree on.

 

From the Image Gallery


Coastal live oak
Quercus virginiana

More Trees Questions

Problems with Shumard Oaks and Crepe Myrtle in Cooke Co. TX
September 07, 2013 - I have a Shumard Oak Tree that has been in the ground approx. ten years. It has done great, even passing up some of my older Shumards. In August it began to lose its leaves at an alarming rate. They a...
view the full question and answer

Need a tree to replace a large oak tree that may be dying in Bedias TX.
April 28, 2011 - I live in Bedias, TX in Grimes County. One of the largest oak trees on my property looks like it's dying. It's simply not leafing out well. I literally can't afford for this to happen since I depen...
view the full question and answer

Treating splits in a Cottonwood tree trunk
August 09, 2014 - How to treat slipts in trunk of 4 year old Cottonwood tree.
view the full question and answer

Are leaf margins of Chilopsis linearis toothed from Austin
December 22, 2013 - Are the leaf margins of Chilopsis linearis, Desert Willow, smooth or toothed? The NPIN descrip says willow-like. Most willows have toothed leaf margins. Thank you.
view the full question and answer

Mulching tree root in San Angelo, TX
April 02, 2014 - San Angelo, Texas is in a drought stage. Will it help our trees to mulch the base of them?
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.