The roots are very shallow and very widespread (if given the opportunity).

Florida has enough live oaks for now.. plant something else. Any other kind of oak like turkey oak, shumard oak, water oak.

For what reason are you concerned about the roots? Pipes, walkway, driveway, etc.? I agree with Quirky, we are beginning to see Live oak overkill here in south AL as well. If you want a deep rooted tree I recommend Pignut Hickory or Mockernut Hickory, they're FL natives that have vivid yellow fall color.

Monterrey oak.

THANKS for all of your replies. The reason I was thinking of planting live oak was because it's native to FL and I wanted shade for house.

I will look into the other ideas you have given me, i.e., monterrey oak, Pignut Hickory and Mockernut Hickory.

The oaks I mentioned are all native to Florida too.

I recently transplanted two live oaks, one about six feet tall, the other around ten feet tall. They each had a tap root. I think from looking at live oaks uprooted by hurricanes that the tap root becomes less important to a live oak as it matures.

That's correct.
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That's why they're not too well anchored in saturated soil

Excellent illustration of how most roots are at the surface, where the air is. Even on coarse sandy soils like in the above picture if there is a high water table the roots will be deflected like a bullet hitting a metal plate. Tap-rooted trees on soils that permit the deep penetration of the tap root will still have most other roots in the upper layers.

The common idea of some trees having surface roots that cause problems is probably based on those kinds or those situations where large roots emerge from the ground in time. A better term might be trees with emergent roots. Not sure how much this is due to how the particular type of tree grows and how often it is a result of site conditions, including the tree simply being big and old (as when large roots grow above grass near the base of the tree).

Hi! Please help. I have an oak tree that comes right through the middle of my deck (deck was built around it)and an in-ground pool that is approximately 12 feet away from it. I have to imagine that the previous owner considered the damage that could be done to the pool by the growing roots. It's a mature tree and I would hate to have it cut down but will do so if it prevents thousands of dollars worth of damage. What should I do? Thanks.

How mature is the tree and how long ago was the pool put in?

We have an approximate 70 yr. old Texas Live Oak Tree that has foliage damage due to possible aerial cotton defoliant. Also, half of tree has concrete around it and we are in a serious drought. We have dug up concrete around the drip-line of the tree to the clay soil and watering constantly. What are our chances of recovery? What is the correct way to and when to cover the trench dug around the drip-line? We can't loose this tree!

Is the soil compacted? How often are you warering and where? Are you fertilizing? Live iaks are great compartmentalizers and can withstand alot if abuse. Take a soil sample and send it to texas a and m. Fir around 20-30 dollars you can have your soil nutrients analyzed. Understanding soil and the trees root zone condition is tantamount to understanding your trees health.

Ailleen, you're pool should be fine

For OP, laurel oak is another large-growing Florida-native oak. Not saying it's "better" than live oak-those are great trees-but just another option to consider.

I'm not in the south to see all those Live oaks, but, Live oak is a much better longer Lived tree than Laurel oak and the others mentioned. I have heard that Live oaks usually can do fine in hurricanes compared to other trees. Not to poo poo anyones view on what to plant, but, the Live oak is so much stronger, and some of them can live to 1,000 years old. I would plant the Live oak, they are so unlike any other oak in limb spread and graceful shape. I am a northerner that loves Live oaks. If the OP has room plant one of each. My opinion. I have a very hardy form of Live oak here, so far so good, but, the Southern Live oak is so much more grande than the other oaks.

I am concerned about the root system because I need to know how close to plant it to my housr

I want to make sure to plant it far enough away so the roots will not interfere with the foundation of my house

Probably best to start your own new thread on this subject.

Some here are hesitant to reply to a necro thread with so many old comments already posted.

This is my opinion of stuff posted above, so take it for whatever it means to you personally, you guys will need new Live oaks planted every now and then, the old ones will die out eventually, so you will want SOME new plantings, right?

Roots of trees planted in clay soil arou nd cement buildings and maybe a cement pool, or a parking spot, will cause problems in a drought, from what I've read anyway, not by personal experience, because clay soil holds onto moisture more than sandy soil or loamy soil, so I think that clay soil will cause a problem with the moisture balance, and the result will be cracking of the cement, OR something else, I just know FOR SURE for SOME GOOD reason clay soil and tree roots around a house foundation or slab made from cement is said to cause a problem. If you've got sandy or loam soil, both free draining soil, it should be fine.

Nettlesmith, if you have clay soil, I would say to plant at least 80-90 ft away from your foundation, and I'm no expert, but, that's a good guesstimate by me, most oaks are about 100-120 feet wide in mature width of their crown, sme more or less.

If you get lottsa rain drought should'nt be an issue, but, there are droughts sometimes in places that are usually good about rainfall, I hope I've helped you, but, I am a REALLY NOVICE gardener, so don't take anything I've said for the gospel.

Lets hope for more info from the ones in the know, but, to anyone who wants a real pro's opinion, you need to tell us where you are from, so we know your climate.

Also, besides climate, is your soil sandy, loamy or clay?