Sand Live Oak

Quercus geminata

We have a certain fondness for sand live oaks, as we were married outdoors under a canopy of mature sand live oaks near the shores of Doe Lake.

Living in an area with a lot of scrub habitat, we see them frequently. They are one of the more common oaks along trails in scrub and scrubby flatwoods.

Sand live oaks at Split Oak Conservation Area

Sand live oaks are often as broad as they are tall. As they grow, they frequently arc their trunks. Their width can greatly exceed their height.

Sand live oaks in a xeric hammock at James E. Grey Preserve

On some hikes, we’ve referred to them as “wiggly trees” as the ones that don’t lean and branch tend to grow tall and thin with weirdly wiggly trunks.

“Wiggly trees” at Lake Proctor Conservation Area

Sand live oaks grow in clusters, in part because they will resprout from their roots if burned. They essentially clone themselves if burned to the ground. Their acorns form in pairs.

Sand live oaks rising from one central root base at Annuteliga Hammock

Leaves and Bark

The leaves of a sand live oak average 2 inches long. Fresh growth comes on the tree in the spring, immediately replacing the old leaves dropped.

Sand live oak leaves and acorns

If you pick up a leaf of a sand live oak, you will find it somewhat waxy and crisp.

It has a slight curvature that forms enough of a canoe shape it can often float upside down on water.

Sand live oaks leaves on the floor of a xeric hammock

In scrub habitat, young sand live oaks stand out because their canoe-shaped leaves differ greatly from the leaves of the other diminutive oaks found in scrub

Common oaks in Florida scrub

Sand live oak

Florida scrub-jay in a scrub oak

Myrtle oak

Chapman oak right, sand live oak left

The bark of a sand live oak is very dark, a deep gray with some brown mostly evident if you break off a piece of bark. It furrows and crackles as the tree grows larger.

Bark of a sand live oak up close

Habitat

We’ve observed that sand live oaks prefer scrub, sandhill, and scrubby flatwoods habitats.

They do well in well-drained sandy soil, forming an understory canopy beneath taller trees like longleaf pine.

While we have heard them referred to as a climax species for sandhill, a 2016 study at Eglin showed that shade from midstory oaks contributed significantly to the growth of young longleaf pines.

Sand live oaks in a longleaf pine forest at Rainbow Springs State Park

Fire suppression, however, makes a difference. When fire is intentionally excluded from oak scrub, sand live oaks can grow more quickly and outshade other species.

Sand live oaks are a keystone species for xeric (dry) hammocks.

There, they provide the primary canopy, and gather a lot of Spanish moss when along the edges of lakes.

Xeric hammock along Fox Lake in Titusville

Range

We’ve seen sand live oaks as far south as Naples Preserve in Naples and Crystal Lake Sand Pine Scrub in northern Broward, and in all counties north of those points.

Sand live oaks at Naples Preserve near the Naples Zoo

We’ve also seen them up the Atlantic Coast as far north as Cape Fear, North Carolina. They are reported to extend through the Outer Banks.

Sand live oaks at Carolina Beach State Park along the Cape Fear River, North Carolina

To the west, we’ve documented them in coastal hammocks along the Gulf of Mexico through Mississippi. Their range officially extends through coastal Mississippi.

Sand live oaks at Gulf State Park, Alabama Shores

Salt Tolerance

Sand live oaks are found in coastal scrubs on barrier islands. Their roots are not salt tolerant, but their waxy, curved leaves minimize the toxic effect from sea mist.

Small sand live oaks dominating a coastal scrub

Wind Resistance

In coastal areas, sand live oak branches are easily shaped by prevailing winds.

The same may hold true inland with the “wiggly trees” we see. They seem less likely to uproot than Southern live oaks.

Sand live oaks on high ground on the Lake Wales Ridge at Tiger Creek Preserve

Having owned an acre under a canopy of sand live oaks in a former sandhill turned subdivision, Sandra can attest to their unique ability to deflect wind.

Because sand live oaks tend to cluster together, with trunks often seeming to come out of the same roots, they interlock their branches as they fill out the canopy.

Interlocked arching branches over a trail at Econ Wilderness Natural Area

During the four hurricanes of 2004, Sandra did not lose a single shingle from her home, but had an acre’s worth of small thin branches to pick up.

Her neighbors, who cut down most or all of their sand live oaks, all needed roof repairs. If they had no trees, a fair chunk of their roof peeled off.

A canopy of sand live oaks similar to these protected Sandra’s home

Compared to Live Oaks

Biologically, sand live oaks are considered a sister species or subspecies of live oak, and sometimes referred to as Quercus virginiana var. geminata.

But they have obvious differences. First, sand live oak differ from live oaks (Quercus virginiana) in size.

Live oaks have thicker trunks, generally grow taller, and have crowns that are much broader.

Live oaks have a very characteristic shape. As they age, they fill out.

Comparing mature oaks

By way of size comparison, the 1997 national co-champion sand live oak, discovered in Alachua County, was 94 feet tall, had a 100 foot crown spread and a trunk with a diameter of 15 feet.

Also in Alachua County, the 1997 state co-champion live oak, was 85 feet tall, had a 160 foot crown spread, and a trunk with a diameter of 30 feet.

A mature sand live oak at Doe Lake

The Cellon Oak, 1997 co-champion live oak

Comparing leaves

Live oak leaves are larger, up to 5 inches in length, and broader. They do not curl at the edges as sand live oak leaves do. Sand live oak leaves are much narrower.

Sand live oak leaves and oak toad

Live oak leaves and fledgling

Comparing bark

Live oaks have a reddish-brown bark, while sand live oaks have a grayish bark with hints of brown. Both get furrowed with age.

A sand live oak trunk

A live oak trunk

More Comparisons

Unlike sand live oaks, live oaks can be found in many different types of habitats and are often used for landscaping because their branches fill out nicely.

Sand live oaks do better in drier soils, while live oaks grow in habitats ranging from periodically flooded palm hammocks to bluff forests and maritime hammocks.

Live oaks do not grow in close clusters like sand live oaks.

Instead, they branch out quickly as they rise, with trunks branching near the base, which greatly expands their crown spread.

Branching live oak over the picnic area at Lake Runnymeade Conservation Area

From our experience, you are more likely to see red blanket lichen and shield lichen growing on sand live oak trunks and limbs, with only scattered resurrection ferns and smaller, lighter bromeliads like ball moss.

Live oaks appear to host heavier loads of resurrection fern, bromeliads, and orchids, making their limbs look almost furry. Spanish moss drapes from both trees.

Sand live oaks at Sleeping Turtles Preserve

Live oak at Richloam WMA

Both trees do not drop their leaves until new leaves are forming, so they are both considered an evergreen oak.

When trying to identify oaks in the field, keep in mind that oaks are known to hybridize naturally. You may run into oaks that share characteristics of multiple species.