Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana)

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Southern live oak

Habit (mature) · Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Limited coverage

Southern live oak

Quercus virginiana

An iconic evergreen oak of the southeastern coastal plain — sprawling massive trees draped with Spanish moss define the Southern landscape. Long-lived (300-500+ years in undisturbed sites) with horizontal limbs extending 80+ feet from the trunk in mature specimens. Salt-tolerant + hurricane-resistant (the canonical coastal-plain canopy tree). Like all oaks, supports hundreds of Lepidoptera species.

Native: 11 US states

Review: Source-backed

Climate fit: moderate (41/100)

Focal point

Structure

Light

Full sun / Part shade

Water

Moderate water

Mature size

480-960" tall · 1200" apart

Hardy in zones

8a-10b

cold to mild winters

Summer heat range

Warm-Extreme

warm to extreme summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.

Native in Illinois

A documented larval host for the Imperial moth and 1 other species — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.

Wildlife relationships

Cold hardiness

Now

Zone 6b

USDA

Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day

Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer

Won't grow here

2050

Zone 7b

Plotwright

Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)

Won't grow here

In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.

Out of range today and still out of range in 2050.

Heat tolerance

°C

°F

Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…

Where this plant fits

Suitable across 39 ecoregions — 34 climate-resilient through 2070 · 5 newly possible by 2070. Best matches first.

Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests

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Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests

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Arizona Mountains forests

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Atlantic coastal pine barrens

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California coastal sage and chaparral

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Canadian Aspen forests and parklands

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Central Pacific Northwest coastal forests

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Central-Southern Cascades Forests

Sources & citations

Cite this page

For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.

Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/southern-live-oak

Sources for every fact

Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited — 18 source-backed.

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

University extension service

Backs 17 fields

Identity

Summary

Plant type

Light

Moisture

Hardiness

Heat zone

Size

Spacing

Habit

Design roles

Seasonal interest

Growth stages

Lifecycle

Regional guidance

Success tips

Designer notes

Wikimedia Commons

Photo · CC BY-SA 4.0

Backs 1 field

Image

Community photos

The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.

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