Plant DetailShow Menu

Quercus geminata is often confused with:
Quercus virginiana Form of mature tree (Seminole County, GA)-Late Spring
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Quercus hemisphaerica Form (Moore County, NC)-Early Fall
Quercus minima Form- often in colonies (Glynn County, GA)-Mid Spring
Quercus nigra Quercus nigra
Quercus geminata has some common insect problems:
Common Insect Pests of Oak in North Carolina
Oak Pest Management Calendar
Quercus geminata has some common disease problems:
Common Disease Pests of Oak in North Carolina

Oaks Quercus geminata

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
KWER-kus jem-in-AY-tuh
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Sand Live Oak is a small, native, evergreen tree that also grows as a shrub and is found along the coastal plain of SE North America. It can be found in the sandy soils of coastal dunes, hardwood forests, mixed pine uplands, scrub, and sandhills. Sand Live Oak grows best in partial shade to full sun and generally reaches heights of up to 50 feet but can grow taller. It is salt and drought tolerant but doesn't tolerate flooding with salty or brackish water.

Use this tree as a specimen or accent tree. They can form colonies so they can help stabilize a bank or slope.

After a fire, it will regrow completely since 80% of its biomass is underground.  

VIDEO: Part of the Native Plant Picks series from the North Carolina Sea Grant led Coastal Landscapes Initiative.

 

 

 

Profile Video:
See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#small tree#small spaces#drought tolerant#shrub#moth caterpillar host#salt tolerant#erosion control#highly beneficial coastal plants#NC native#acorns#nighttime garden#pollinator plant#Braham Arboretum#larval host plant#sandy soils tolerant#butterfly friendly#problem for horses#banded hairstreak butterfly#gray hairstreak butterfly#imperial moth#juvenal’s duskywing butterfly#edward’s hairstreak butterfly#white-m hairstreak butterfly#horace’s duskywing butterfly#storm damage resistant#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#small tree#small spaces#drought tolerant#shrub#moth caterpillar host#salt tolerant#erosion control#highly beneficial coastal plants#NC native#acorns#nighttime garden#pollinator plant#Braham Arboretum#larval host plant#sandy soils tolerant#butterfly friendly#problem for horses#banded hairstreak butterfly#gray hairstreak butterfly#imperial moth#juvenal’s duskywing butterfly#edward’s hairstreak butterfly#white-m hairstreak butterfly#horace’s duskywing butterfly#storm damage resistant#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Quercus
    Species:
    geminata
    Family:
    Fagaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    Used for lumber.
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Southeast US
    Distribution:
    AL , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , SC. Found from the coastal plains of Louisiana to NC, and south through Florida.
    Wildlife Value:
    Acorns are an important food source for mammals. Oak trees support a wide variety of Lepidopteran. You may see Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May. Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), has one flight from May-July in the south and June-July in the north. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), has three to four flights in the south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) has three broods in the north from February-October. Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) has three broods in Texas and the deep south from January-November, and two broods in the north from April-September. Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) has one brood from April-June, appearing as early as January in Florida.
    Play Value:
    Wildlife Cover/Habitat
    Wildlife Food Source
    Wildlife Larval Host
    Wildlife Nesting
    Dimensions:
    Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Native Plant
    Shrub
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Irregular
    Open
    Rounded
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Coarse
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Occasionally Dry
    Occasionally Wet
    Very Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    12-24 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Nut
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    1 inch long acorns are dark brown and egg-shaped with 1/3 of the nut enclosed in a scaly, light grey cup. Appear in groups of 1 to 3 annually in the fall.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Catkin
    Insignificant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Description:
    Separate male and female flowers.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Fleshy
    Leathery
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    The thick, leathery leaves range from 1½ to 2½ inches long. They have coarse veins that are deeply pressed into the leaf surface and smooth margins that are inwardly curling. The upper surface of the leaf is dark green and the underside is a dull grey to almost whitish color with sparse to copious pubescence or hairs.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Black
    Dark Brown
    Surface/Attachment:
    Furrowed
    Bark Description:
    The bark is rough to the touch, dark brown, and deeply furrowed.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Cream/Tan
    Gray/Silver
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    Light tan to light gray pubescent twigs becoming smooth the second year.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Lawn
    Naturalized Area
    Slope/Bank
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Native Garden
    Nighttime Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Small groups
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Moths
    Pollinators
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Salt
    Storm damage
    Wind
    Problems:
    Problem for Horses
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    Poison Symptoms:
    Abdominal pain, constipation then diarrhea (occasionally bloody), depression, frequent urination, discolored urine, jaundice; acorns can obstruct the digestive tract
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin.
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Fruits
    Leaves