Live Oak Tree Vs. Laurel Oak Tree
Live oak and laurel oak trees are similar in appearance and can be easily confused with one another. The leaves of both trees lack the lobed shape common to oak trees and are dark green and shiny on top with pale green undersides. Both trees also have a reddish-brown bark. However, several important differences distinguish the live oak from the laurel oak. Does this Spark an idea?
-
Identifying Live Oaks and Laurel Oaks
-
The live oak is a large tree with a sprawling canopy; the trunk can grow more than 6 feet in diameter. A true evergreen, the live oak never loses all of its leaves at a single time and does not change color in the fall. Fuzz covers the undersides of the leaves, and acorns grow in clusters of three to five. The bark does not develop deep furrows with age. In contrast, the laurel oak is a smaller tree with a trunk diameter of up to 4 feet and a more compact canopy. The laurel oak becomes yellow in the fall and loses its leaves. The leaves of the laurel oak are thinner than the live oak, with no lobed shape, and have a yellow midrib. As the laurel oak ages, the bark forms deep furrows.
Growing Conditions
-
Both trees are native to the southern U.S. and the west coast, although the laurel oak tolerates cold temperatures better and ranges as high as the coastal regions of New England. Both trees grow in either part shade/part sun or in full sun and can thrive in a variety of soil types. The live oak tolerates drought better than the laurel oak and can also grow in moderate saline soils. The laurel oak, however, can survive extended flooding, whereas the live oak cannot.
-
Management
-
Both live oaks and laurel oaks require regular maintenance to prolong the life of the tree and reduce the risk of property damage. Both trees should be pruned while young so that only a single trunk develops. The live oak is a large, tough tree that can live for several centuries. The laurel oak, in comparison, lives only 50 to 70 years, and the trunks and branches tend to rot and become prone to breakage. Removing only small branches reduces the risk of rot caused by pruning, so the tree should be pruned routinely.
Landscaping Considerations
-
The U.S. Forest Service recommends both live and laurel oaks for planting on spacious lawns, large parking lot islands, highway medians and buffer strips. Both trees also act as shade trees. Live oak trees, however, can tolerate the stresses of urban conditions whereas laurel oaks cannot. Both trees require regular pruning to control branches that droop over streets and sidewalks. The roots of live oak may also lift paved surfaces.
Property Damage Concerns for Laurel Oak
-
Because the laurel oak is prone to rot, relatively short-lived, and suffers high rates of breakage, it requires more careful maintenance than the live oak and poses a greater risk of property damage. In areas that are prone to storms and high winds, planting the laurel oak near buildings and other structures is not recommended.
-
References
- Photo Credit oak leafs image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com
