Live Oak

[Ray Bell]

All of my long life I have heard this phrase, but never really knew what it meant. We just returned from a trip to New Orleans, where there are a lot of these magnifcant trees. Absolutly awesome. Different leafs than the Oak trees I know, but they are HUGE, and grow all sorts of ways, with some very big branches growing right along the ground.

[John Keeton]

Ray, they are an impressive sight the first time one sees them! Most of the ones I saw had the moss hanging from them.

I still recall the feeling of awe I had when I saw the redwood forests and giant sequoia trees when I was 13. Lots of wonderful stuff to see in this great country of ours!

[Joseph D'Orazio]

I have one out back by the duck pond. We also worked with some up at my mentors shop. Its very pretty wood but I noticed it to be brittle and very hard. I have some here at my shop and I have been waiting for it to speak to me to tell me what it wants to be.

[Jon Nuckles]

Saw a lot of them when I lived in Houston. The way the huge and long limbs grow horizontally out from the trunk is amazing. I believe they used to use these joints in making wooden ships when they needed a strong angled timber.

[bob svoboda]

They really are impressive in person aren't they Ray? If you want to see some neat pic's google Oak Alley plantation.

[Ray Bell]

They are very impressive. We visited a 1890 ish sugar plantation in Baton Rouge, and I don't know for sure, but the Live Oaks were large enough that they may be that old.

[bob svoboda]

They are very impressive. We visited a 1890 ish sugar plantation in Baton Rouge, and I don't know for sure, but the Live Oaks were large enough that they may be that old.

They can reportedly live 600 years or even longer.

[Al Wasser]

The term "live oak" does not refer to a single species of oak although I suspect on a local or regional basis it may refer to a single species. Any oak that does not shed its leaves during winter is a live oak. This includes many species from shrubs to large trees.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I still remember seeing them for the first time when we drove down to Alabama to visit with my son and his family. We stopped at the state's welcome center and there were these huge trees that I was just in awe of! I did see the acorns but the leaves were so different I had to go ask one of the grounds keepers what kind of tree it was. The look I got when I asked that question was totally worth the 3 day drive just to get to Alabama!