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gary_ms

South's greatest tree?

gary_ms
19 years ago

What variety of tree most symbolizes the South, do you suppose? I would think the baldcypress, longleaf pine, Southern magnolia, and live oak would all make the list of nominees. One could also throw in the white oak and tulip poplar, but the ranges of those two extend on up into the north.

If I were forced to choose one tree that symbolizes our home, I guess I would go with longleaf pine. This is a tree that absolutely dominated across most of the South before the greedheads arrived and had their way. It is good to see renewed interest in restoring the longleaf pine. An individual longleaf pine might not look impressive compared to a titan bald cypress or live oak draped in spanish moss, but an old growth longleaf forest is magnificent to see and walk.

If you were to think of the tree that most symbolizes the South, what would be your choice, and why?

Comments (35)

  • LoraxDave
    19 years ago

    My choice is the Southern Magnolia. I think this tree screams "SOUTH!" and is hardy enough to grow all over the region.

    The Live Oak is another very strong Southern symbol - but it really is only seen in its grandest form in the Deep South where the oldest trees exist.

    I also really like Longleaf Pines. But I think most people don't know how to distinguish one pine from another, so to me it doesn't seem as much like an icon as the So. Magnolia and the Live Oak. Plus a lot of people blatantly despise pines (not me!).

    I also really like Bald Cypress, but Bald Cypress grows natively North of the South -- so I don't view it so much as a Southern symbol either.

  • Pterostyrax
    19 years ago

    A tie between Southern Magnolia and Live Oak, but the Live Oak has to be covered in spanish moss and the Magnolia has to be blooming with the fragrance wafting through the air to truly epitomize the South.

  • CaseysMom
    19 years ago

    My vote is cast for the live oak~
    With the spanish moss swaying in the breeze, it screams "South"!

    But all the other contenders definitely earn an 'honorable mention' in my book!

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1259151}}

  • deep_south_gardener
    19 years ago

    Well ya'll I'll put in my 2 cents. I live in the New
    Orleans area, sooo, I'm going to say for me it's
    the live oak. These grand fellows line the Avenue's
    and parks some drapped with spanish moss, just like
    in the movies. Oh to purchase a large plot of land
    with one of these grand fellows would be wonderful.
    Second on my list would be cypress. Those big daddy's
    are near alot of our watering holes. Most beautiful
    at sunrise or sunset.
    I do love magnolia's and pine and we do have alot in
    Louisiana, but for my area of the south it would be
    oak and cypress. What a great question. Ya'll have
    a wonderful day. Happy gardening.

    Brenda

  • Blooming_annie
    19 years ago

    Definitely the Live Oak because of their longevity and size. Some of the older ones have been hanging around watching southern history unfold for centuries and how cool is that?

  • ashley_nc
    19 years ago

    I'm going with a different tree. I think the pecan tree says "South" to me. Maybe it's because my Grandma, Daddy, and I used to pick pecans up under Grandma's three pecan trees. We usually ended up eating as many as we saved. Then Grandma would make peacan pies. I'm sad to say that Fran blew over two of the trees along with many others around the neighborhood. They were huge and only missed here house by a couple of feet.

  • kbeard2323
    19 years ago

    Cypress is more of a florida thing. Long leaf pines definitely dominated from tallahassee and north as far as land area is concerned, however that would be true all the way to new england or so, i think. I like live oak or pecan more for the imagery; I'd say a giant twisted mossy live oak wins.

  • gary_ms
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    kbeard,

    Longleaf pine did not extend to the New England area. Virginia was about as far north as it went. It is truly a tree of our region. The early settlers were amazed at the dominance of longleaf in the uplands all the way to E. Texas.

    If one bases his/her decision on longevity/size, than the baldcypress ultimately beats all others mentioned. There are documented 1600+ year old living cypress in North Carolina, and I personally seen cypress in Louisiana that exceed 17 feet dbh.

  • Blooming_annie
    19 years ago

    I'm sticking with live oaks even if they may be edged out of the longevity category by cypress! If you've never seen the Angel Oak outside Charleston, put it on your to-do list. It is one of the few tourist attractions here that continue to enthrall me and fascinate me. Check it out on this link.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Angel Oak

  • athagan
    19 years ago

    I'd have to nominate the Live Oak for the definitive Southern tree. The magnolia and pecan would rate equal seconds.

    Florida has a number of pine species. I happen to live on the sand ridge where the Long Leaf is native and I have a number of them on my property. I just planted about twenty seedling Long Leafs the other day.

    .....Alan.

  • Gerry1117
    19 years ago

    I would have to say the Live Oak is the symbolic tree of the deep south. I have picniced many times 'neath the mighty Angel Oak on John's Island, near Charleston, S.C. (see Blooming Annie's posted link above.) Another beautiful, old Live Oak, known as The Village Sentinel, is located in Waycross, Ga. Unfortunately, the Wye Mills, MD 400 yr old Live Oak, which was larger than either the Sentinel or the Angel Oak, was downed by a storm in 2002. Whenever I see a Live Oak full of Spanish moss, it always reminds me of "Gone With the Wind". A Rev. Forsythe, poet laureat of Georgia, wrote of The Sentinel oak:
    In old sunny southern Georgia,
    By a country road there stands
    A great wide live oak tree
    That has shaded many clans;
    And through the leaves the wind blows
    Witha a soft and mournful sigh,
    As it soothes the weary traveler
    With a low, sweet lullaby.

    I love the longleaf pine, and there's nothing more beautiful than a giant magnolia in full bloom, pecan trees remind me of home, but I cast my vote for the Live Oak.

  • rosieo
    19 years ago

    Another vote here for Live Oak, extra points given for spanish moss drippings. Any drunk monkey from Mars could immediately identify it as Southern.

  • gary_ms
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    Gerry,

    The Wye Mills oak was a white oak, quercus alba.

  • Gerry1117
    19 years ago

    oops! My bad - you are right.

  • ernie50
    19 years ago

    I think most people outside the south would say live oak and magnolia,like the movies.My personal favorite is the white oak.A mighty giant.And lest not forget the little dogwood.

  • Iris GW
    19 years ago

    It's hard to choose ... but the dogwood is certainly a symbol for many people as well as the magnolia is. Both have their blooms well represented in pictures of the South.

  • LoraxDave
    19 years ago

    I really like Dogwoods (doesn't everyone?), but to me they are not a "Southern" tree. Their native range extends over much of the Eastern United States.

    I'm glad to read that so many appreciate the Longleaf Pine. When I go running, I sometimes pass the time by trying to spot them in my area. (Yes, I'm weird). We do have occasional small stands of them here in the Appalachian sections of Alabama. The dead giveaway is those spiky punk-rocker seedlings!

  • Sally22
    19 years ago

    I vote for the dogwood. Just because it grows in other areas doesn't mean it's not the archetypical Southern tree. And it's so versatile, just like Southerners--it is incredible in the spring when it blooms, in the summer in leaf, in the fall when it turns lovely colors and in the winter when its berries succor the birds and its form delights us. It grows on its own in woods, and makes us all happy when we see it looking like it is covered with snow. What a great tree. Live oaks in Piedmont NC are not impressive, looking stunted, and long leaf pines--well, put me in the group that is not that impressed with pines, though I do appreciate their economic value to my state. Aren't we lucky to have so many gorgeous trees in the South.

  • earloftn
    19 years ago

    American Chestnut.....bar none. They will come home.

  • happy123
    19 years ago

    I thought the american chestnut is no more because of blight?

  • sewnfool
    19 years ago

    I looked up the american chestnut and it is endangered. Maybe we should start right here and each of us plant an american chestnut tree. Well, two actually. I am going to see where I can get a couple.

  • Kristin_1902
    19 years ago

    I've got to agree with Ashley_NC about the pecan tree. To me, a pecan grove (orchard? plantation?) is about the prettiest sight in the South.

  • rivers1202
    19 years ago

    Moss-draped Live Oaks.
    Southern Magnolia is a close 2nd
    In 3rd place would be the Loblolly Pine. Good Lord! how I despise Loblolly Pines! End up looking like giant baby bottle brushes, eventually. You can have Loblolly Pines on your property or you can have grass and a variety of other living green things...can't have them exist successfully together. Not in my yard, anyway. Oh, wait. Weeds. Weeds grow fine with Loblolly Pines.

  • curdog007
    18 years ago

    Live Oak for sure ;-) I sure hope that sudden death oak syndrome virus doesn't show up here :-(

  • gary_ms
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Though I voted for longleaf pine when I started this thread, I did feel that the live oak would get the most support and it looks like it did. I'm not surprised that Southern magnolia also got mentioned quite a bit.

    I am surprised that bald cypress didn't get any first place vote. To me, a lake or river fringed with a stand of majestic cypress is a pretty impressive site. The bald cypress naturally appears in every state in the South, unlike Live oak. It is also the longest-lived and can obtain the largest dbh of any tree east of the Mississippi river.

  • beth1
    18 years ago

    I agree, it would definitely be a close tie between the Live Oak & the Southern Magnolia; but I also love the pecan & the dogwood too. ;o)

  • tsmith2579
    14 years ago

    The loblolly and longleaf pines. Loblolly has been a source of pulp wood which has given us pulp cutting/logging jobs and paper mill jobs. Lonleaf has given us sawmill and lumbering jobs. They have put food on lots of tables and furnished the necessities of life for many.

  • greenleaf_organic
    13 years ago

    My first thought on this was the Magnolia. Cypress is also quite impressive along waterways. Many people have not heard of Paulownia trees, native to China, but they are adapted to the South and are very fast growing as well as beautiful. Perhaps they can find more of a home in the South in the future. Their flowers also provide a profuse amount of nectar for the local honey bees.

  • alabamatreehugger 8b SW Alabama
    13 years ago

    tsmith, I have to agree with you. I live in south Alabama and my whole town was built because of Longleaf pine timber (if you're into history you can Google 'Atmore Alabama WM Carney'). The settlers built a railroad and a sawmill, and it took off from there to a town of over 8,000 people at one point. So, even though Longleaf pine isn't the dominant tree around here anymore, it's still "king" in my opinion.

    I think there's also a difference between the coastal plain the the "upper South". Folks on the coastal plain are more like to think of Longleaf pine or Live Oak, while folks in the upper South are more likely to think of Southern Red Oak or maybe Loblolly Pine.

  • jolj
    13 years ago

    There are many more great trees in the south, then you have named in this topic.
    But I would said you have the top 5 or so.
    I love the wild azalea, but she is a shrub, not a tree.

  • blessedbe
    13 years ago

    Dogwoods and magnolias! Pecan trees are a close 2nd (3rd I guess). I don't count live oaks because I don't live anywhere near the coast and never really think about them unless I'm in Savannah!

  • alex_7b
    13 years ago

    Looks like the two most popular are Magnolia grandiflora and Quercus virginiana. Both cold hardy through z7.

    I love Longleaf Pine, but must admit that many folks can't distinguish it from Slash or Loblolly. Bald Cypress is grand throughout north FL, but is actually very cold hardy; probably into z5. Pecans are indigenous to only a small area between TX, AR and OK. Dogwoods are prevalent throughout the eastern US as are the deciduous oaks.

    I think if one ventures out of the SE, Southern Magnolia is the most recognizabale SE tree.

  • botanical_drifter
    13 years ago

    Nothing says "the south" like a Live Oak.

    botanical_drifter

  • gduke2
    12 years ago

    About the American Chestnut - yes there are still scion trees - few and far between that have survived the blight.

    Contact the ACCF at http://www.accf-online.org/ for information on seed availability, planting requirements etc. Also see http://www.accf-online.org/seednuts.htm

    They covered a wide range across the country but many places in the South they were the cash crop - nuts, lumber, hog feed, game feed etc. Place names with White or Gold/Golden were due to the coloration of blossoms or fall leaves.

    Here is a link that might be useful: American Chestnut Cooperative Foundation

  • ncdirtdigger
    12 years ago

    The dogwoods behind the 12th green at Augusta.

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