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| Anyone else try growing a live oak tree In the area?
I planted one in the fall and it's doing well. I purchased it from a Lowes in Northern Oklahoma. Is rated to zone 5 on the tag, but I doubt that is very accurate. I have heard of people in Tennessee in zone 6a that have 20-30 year old specimens. Usually I hear of them in zones 7 and up. I figured we have had Armadillos for years, warm enough for a Texas Armadillo, warm enough for a Texas live oak. :). Joe
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| Oh funny Joe just because we got damadillos we should be able to grow zone 7! They are all the way up into Nebraska now. Good luck with your live oak tho, I'd be very interested to know of it survives our winters. And our hot dry summers! I'd love to have one even tho I know I'll never live to see them in their full glory. Sandy |
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| Wow, Sandy I knew there were a few Dillos in the St. Louis area, but up in Nebraska, crazy. So far so good thru 1 winter, it's a Texas / Oklahoma variety so a bit more cold hardy, and easily our summers much wetter than Texas so should be fine. I was in Rogers, AR today and seen a bunch there. |
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- Posted by christie_sw_mo Z6 (My Page) on Tue, May 1, 12 at 9:34
| You picked the perfect year to plant it Joe. We had such a mild winter. I don't think it even made it into the single digits. With a tree or shrub that's borderline hardy, the first winter is the toughest. It will be more established and ready for the next winter. Hope for another warm one though. We still have the potential to drop to 15 below or colder. Global warming just changes the averages. We can still have temperatures outside the average especially since we live in the Ozarks. No harm in trying though. I came across an article awhile back that was written by a real estate agent in the south and she commented on how much property value is raised if there is a mature live oak in someone's yard. People will pay thousands more. Here is someone else in zone 6 trying Live Oak |
Here is a link that might be useful: Another live oak experiment - Trees Forum
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| Thanks Christie for your input, yes let's hope for 3 more years of mild winters. My variety of Live Oak is not the variety you see on the Gulf Coast or around Austin, TX, it's a Quercus Fusiformis, not the Virginian variety. http://www.mswn.com/Plant Info Sheets/Quercus fusiformis.pdf It's found growing wild in far western Oklahoma and Texas, and can do well in temps down to 10 to 15 below zero. I have seen them in Rogers, AR and Big Cabin, OK, not too far away. The difference between a 6b zone lets say in SW Missouri, a place where our lakes don't freeze over and a 6 zone in Pennsylvania where they do is we do have nights that can reach below zero, but normally not for more than a day or two, rather than for 2 weeks in a row in Pennsylvania or even northern Missouri. I'm not too concerned about it making it here after its been in the ground after 3 years, but I would like feedback if anybody has one. |
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| These plants love the Ozarks heat, they are growing very nicely. |
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| Follow up, I have to say while everyone's trees were browning up and turning crispy. These live oaks just grew like crazy. 100 degree heat, no problem. |
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- Posted by christie_sw_mo Z6 (My Page) on Wed, Aug 15, 12 at 9:43
| Did you plant more than one? Glad to hear they made it through the heat and drought. This summer has been a lot like last summer so maybe we'll get an easy winter again. I'd put down some kind of mulch around late November before it gets too cold but after it has hardened off. |
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| yep, have 2 |
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| I've been wanting to plant an Oklahoma live oak in my garden here in Springfield. Any suggestions on where I could find one?? I don't know if any springfield gardeners are interested in adding sabal minor palms to their plant collection, but I have been successfully growing them in my garden through the past five winters. My largest is currently loaded with seeds. Plus, I have a volunteer sabal minor coming up from last year's crop of seeds. |
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| I bought mine at Lowes in Tulsa in the Spring of 2011, but didn't plant it in the ground until fall (thought about just keeping it inside for a year at first) if they have some you can go on Lowes website and check the various stores in Tulsa to see if they have them and they will send them on a truck to Springfield for you. The actual nursery that supplies and grows the trees is BFN. copy and paste the link below in your browser. The are located in northeast Oklahoma. Springfield should be fine - zone 6a-7b depending on what organization you are referencing (USDA, Arbor Day, Etc.) http://foreverandeverplants.com/Index.aspx/AboutUs |
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| I would be interested in Giving one a try. |
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| Well, I just have seeds to give away ... Not the plants. Did you look sabal minors up online to see what they look like? As far as the live oaks, I will plan to visit nurseries in Tulsa or OKC this spring. I would like the largest size I can afford and transport back to Spfld. Is your live oak planted in the front yard where all can see it or backyard? |
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| I have the live oak In the Front yard, also I might have some live oak acorns for you. I might be going to Oklahoma in late Nov., if so I will be happy to send you some. Stay tuned I will post here if I get them |
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| Thanks! Keep us all updated on your love oak. And if you're traveling and come across a large one, post it here cuz I would travel to buy it. Have you posted a picture of it? I'd like to see it. There is also a Facebook group named Virginia Palm Society and Exotic Tropicals (if you're on FB). Several members were posting pics and questions about growing live oaks (and also pushing the gardening limits of tropical plants). You should check it out ... You don't have to garden in Virginia to be a member (I'm a member). |
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| If anybody would like, I do have some Oklahoma/ North Texas variety (Fusiformis) acorns. Should be planted now indoors and will sprout around Late March early April. They don't stay viable for long. Just send me your address and I will mail. |
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| Another winter success for the Texas Live Oak I have panted. Texas Live oak do not lose their leaves during the winter, however in the Spring they push out the old leaves and sprout new ones. I have nice healthy sprouts on my trees. Also I do have some live oak seedlings available for free, can't ship but you can message me here if you would like some. |
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| Here are the seedlings
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- Posted by christie_sw_mo Z6 (My Page) on Thu, Apr 11, 13 at 10:32
| Congrats Joe! Those would be great for trading if you went to a garden club plant exchange of some sort. I think I'm running out of spots for trees in my yard though. A word of caution - if you set your containers outside, something may go after the remaining acorn that's still under the soil and kill your little trees. That happened to me when I planted burr oak from acorns many years ago. They were still in the pots and about six inches tall. I didn't think about the acorns being food for squirrels or whatever after they had already sprouted. |
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| Funny you should say that, did that last year and yep something ate them, not getting them this year :) |
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| Another one of my live oaks, still came out fine even after the snow on it after leaf out.
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