Quercus geminata

Common Names

Sand Live Oak

Summary

Sand Live Oak is a native evergreen shrub or small tree of the Southeastern United States, occurring on sandy coastal dunes, backdunes, sandhills, coastal hammocks, and inland dry sandy sites from northern Florida west to Louisiana and northeast to North Carolina. It typically grows 20–50 ft tall with a broadly spreading crown. Leaves are thick and leathery, 1.5–2.5 in long, with dark green upper surfaces and dull gray to whitish pubescent undersides; margins are revolute and the blade is cupped. Bark is rough, dark brown and deeply furrowed. Acorns are small (0.4–0.8 in long) with tapering cups, and the plant can form colonies that stabilize banks and slopes. It is wind- and drought-tolerant and serves as a wildlife food source via acorns.

Cultivation and uses: Propagation is by seed; cuttings are not practical, seeds germinate readily, and acorns are viviparous, requiring immediate planting after harvest with a depth about the acorn diameter. Outplant in depressions to mimic dune-building, protect seeds from herbivores and high salinity, and avoid polyacrylamide gel for nursery transplants to promote deep roots. Hardiness zones 9b–10a; tolerates wind, drought, and salt spray, and requires little maintenance. Common landscape uses include specimen or accent tree in dry, sandy soils; it provides wildlife benefits by supplying acorns for mammals and acting as a larval host for several butterflies; pollen is abundant and allergenic.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

20-50 ft

Spread

20 ft-49 ft 3 in

Hardiness Zones

Zones 9b-10a

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial sun, tolerates partial shade to full sun.

Soil Type

Deep sandy soils

Soil Drainage

Well-drained sandy soils

Soil pH

6.5-7.5

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Upper leaf surface dark green; lower leaf surface dull gray to white.

Fall Foliage Color

No fall color

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Slow

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds and butterflies