south Texas oak id

Houston yesterday, these 4or 5 oaks are used as street plants. One had acorns, all have variable leaf, without my resources...help?

Not from TX, but not afraid to reply...

Looks a lot like Quercus virginiana, with the likelihood of some stray genetics thrown in to allow for some leaf morphology variability - but predominantly Quercus virginiana.

Live Oak is a very popular landscape plant in TX.

I suspected virginiana, but they are normal leaves for this tree down here. Dry leaf, curls under so is hard to view shapes, doesn't matter where you're from as long as the id is good. I had thought virginiana was endangered tho, yes to landscape common plant. Thanx VV

Like I noted above (and quoted) - Texas conditions and species are not my strong suit. But I can draw on proxy data...

I would venture that Quercus virginiana is far more likely to be produced commercially as a nursery crop and to be planted commonly as a street tree.

Quercus fusiformis, not so much.

Over 100 TX nurseries are selling Southern Live Oak; only 4 list Texas Live Oak.

I will not say that I can separate these two species simply from photographs. Here is a reference that may provide value.

http://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/technology/pdfs/fieldguide.pdf

Texas Live Oak (Quercus fusiformis) p. 28

Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) p. 104

Acorn images seem to match well to Quercus virginiana.

Cant get that link. I know this area is one of the hotspot crossbreed areas as well as geography puts us in a region of 4 seperate ecological overlaps? Or entwinements? I prob need to visit the library as there is prob a Texas live oak thanx to this area as well. I am not done, just trailing behind in researching...

Fusiformus means spindle top shape of acorn, as opposed to a more rounded bottom. Hill country is home to the Escarpment live oaks which to me speaks of caliche/ limestone earth, dryer climate (than say Houston) with a bit more altitude. Said to be essential but high maintenance oaks. Virginiana starts sounding like it simply lived longer, sigh. Possibly close enough landscapers are mixing both and planting the cross.

This message was edited Feb 12, 2015 9:49 PM

Trees installed as street tree plantings - as opposed to natively occurring trees - are likely to be the easiest to produce as commercial nursery plants.

All the crossbreeding, ecological overlaps, entwinements, and research may be interesting - but not germane to your question about these particular plants.

That would be true VV, but I had an oak once, the thing bloomed tiny white flowers sometimes, then other times the tassel shapes. New trees formed from the roots from underground, had what felt like thorns when younger, disappeared as tree form was reached. Acorns like crazy, evergreen some years, others it might drop leaves. If I ever get to return to that area, I will be taking pictures- if the pine beetles didn't get it. Sigh. Darn beetles. This area some things that should do fine, just won't.

From what I can find local, Resin, somehow both are used as same, and how they would manage a cross of these two is beyond my wondering why they would bother to cross these two.
I doubt any if them are worrying about something as simple as acorn shape for landscape use.