This past Thanksgiving, I watched "Forrest Gump" once again, just to see those mature live oaks along Forrest's momma's driveway, and Forrest and Jenny's tree, along with the other giant Live oaks frequently shown throughout the movie.

Definitely live oak Sam. Nice find.

Hey all - long story of how I ended up on here, but just wanted to let you know I’m the property owner for that laurel oak in Arlington VA on Glebe Rd. We bought the house a few years ago and I thought the builder told me it was registered (not sure how to check if that’s true, though). We’ve been having it treated/pruned annually, so I’m glad to hear you guys think it’s in good shape. I know it wasn’t in the best shape when we bought the house.

Also, no ice damage that I’m aware of. Some lower limbs overhanging the driveway were removed, and then standard pruning. Happy to share the acorns - you can help yourself.

Earlier on this thread Dave mentioned Q. virginiana at the Nat'l Arboretum.

Yep the wind and snow of the past couple weeks surely pushed a lot of the leaves off. That happened with my 'frozen in time' Japanese Maples. But since the big freeze around Jan 1 they probably had ugly brown/boiled cabbage looking leaves. Which goes back to the problem I'm always pointing out about borderline BLEs: depending on how borderline, you better be prepared to have something that looks awful after some winters.

Thanks for posting these Sam. I was wondering how they looked. I think the damage happened during January with the cold and the winds. Then after all the leaves were nice and freeze-dried, the Nor'easter winds in early March blew most of them off the tree. I have never seen this amount of leaf loss in my live oaks as I have this winter.

Good to know, my Quartz mountain live oak is naked now, I was kinda worried.

" I have never seen this amount of leaf loss in my live oaks as I have this winter."

Yep, my winter damage report is still coming but there was astonishing damage of this type. I suppose what is actually more interesting noteworthy is stuff that wasn't too damaged, and why. For example I'm very pleased that Podocarpus chenensis seems to have survived, whereas a larger plant in a less sheltered spot died in PV-1. But it's in just about the only spot I have that is both wind-sheltered and south-facing.

This just fuels my desire to build some kind of large wind breaking structure for the most borderline BLEs, but it could be tricky to make something like that, that is easy to maintain and will keep looking good for years. Without costing a fortune.

@sam_md Where in Bolton Hill did you find that Live Oak?

W. Lafayette & Jenkins Alley Brown Memorial Church

Must have been planted by the city, check it out and see if the tree is still there.

But I would wonder: if the city got that from a wholesaler, which would make sense...a lot of them are down south and was it grown from northern seed? My theory would be all mature live oaks north of their natural cut-off which I believe is VA Beach roughly, must have the right genes to survive periods like the polar vortex winters. Take the Udel tree: they are hoping it will outgrow its damage, but my assessment is that, even in a very sheltered spot, its days are numbered. The trunk just looks too damaged. I bet it was planted AFTER 1994 which I don't think it would have survived, as a commercially sourced tree. It looks about the right size for that age and manner of sourcing. Meaning just grown from some random southern seed. It could survive until another "once in twenty years winter" and is now on a slow decline because of the PV winters.

The National Arboretum trees would be surviving because of the favorable microclimate and because the National Arboretum would have had staff resources large enough for someone to think to grow out live oaks from northern seed rather than buy from a grower.

But who knows, this is a tree with enough all-American lore to that maybe someone in the Baltimore Parks department loves them and grew it from VA Beach or Williamsburg seed.

I'm wondering how everyone's live oaks are after this pretty brutal winter, even by deep south standards.

In the Mid-Atlantic it was the mildest winter in 15 years in my opinion - I had a low of only 17F in a place that is 7a, but yes there are other threads on houzz RN concerning damage to ones in Texas. I think most of them will be ok. More marginal flora in TX, probably not. My mango growing co-worker near the TX coast managed to keep his mangoes alive but lost various other tropical trees like Jaboticaba.

Happy Spring everybody. Thanks to David Brown for bring this thread back. Threads like this one have alot of good info and need to be updated from time to time.

Regarding the Live Oaks in Bolton Hill there is good news and bad. First the bad:

Here is the tree in front of the church:

Here's what it looks like at the base. I predict the tree will be removed within a year.

Now for a bit of good news. Only a few blocks away at 225 W Lanvale is a beautiful, healthy LO.

Let's keep an eye on this one and see how it does.

Davidrt, there was a fairly big difference between your area and mine regarding the winter -- actually only a little above avg here. Hagerstown observer has Dec and Jan temps alittle above avg, and Feb alittle below (and most of Feb snow-covered). Pittsburgh, PA had way above avg snow amounts. Got down to 3F here in 2nd week of Feb & quite a few mornings in Feb in single digits.

Wow, we finally get not only a picture but ALSO a location from sam_md!

Yeah, I should have clarified that I was defining mild simply by highest seasonal minimum temperature. It perhaps wasn't a winter that would register as very mild to a typical, non-gardening human LOL. That would be more like 97-98 - constantly above average, never went below 20F even in the outer suburbs, lowest seasonal snowfall ever in DC of < 1" ...by the end of the next growing season, annual Cordylines planted at the Pan Am shopping center in Fairfax were on the verge of forming trunks!

Dave, your palms are fantastic. I wouldn't even try them here -- got down to 3F back in mid-Feb. Brother had a 30' tall Mexican fan palm down in Slidell, LA that got burned badly by freezing temps (but recovered) even down there.

Thanks NoVA Dave for the video. It's Jan 16th and "my yard is very green". That's true, we don't see enough of that in the mid-Atlantic Carefully selected BLEs placed to compliment each other is a welcome sight. The "detergent box" color scheme predominates in many people's minds. Not sure how that got started. I really like the saying "Green is a color too". I didn't see your Tanbark Oak.

I agree, great video, thanks for sharing!

Sam, the Lithocarpus henryi is at about 1:05 in the middle of the screen. The only woody trees/shrubs that are not evergreen in my yard are some Crape myrtles, an Asian persimmon (love that tree!), and a weeping Japanese maple.

i am NOT from Va, BUT, just watching the vid here, WHERE is that neighbors "Cordy" that you said is doing good? I watched the vid 2 times but have NOT seen it.

I'll just mention that I am about 50 miles SOUTH from downtown Pittsburgh, Pa and we got a low of -1F here for a brief amount of time as out all time low this past winter.

I can only grow TXLO and QMLO here, both of mine did great this past winter btw.

Sorry to butt in here, BUt, I just wondered where are those neighbors Cordy's or Cordy or is it NOT in this video?

poaky1, the cordy is in the neighbor's yard. I did not video the neighbor's yard at all! LOL! I was just commenting to davidrt28 that my neighbor's was doing good as well. They should be able to survive a brief dip between 10 and 20 degrees F.

I will try to mention how MY Cordy is doing IF my Cordy ends up making some growth soon.

So far MY Cordy is in a small pot in my greenhouse, and it has NOT made any great progress so far, so, sorry, this is just a SLOW progressing potted plant, but as soon as I can find a nice place to plant the Cordyline this spring, I WILL plant it out of my small pot that it is now in.

But, IF I can NOT find a good place to plant out the "Cordyline" then I do still want to see just where else that I can see just how to plant out the "Corfyline". I DO really think that I can send them out to a close or nearby place.

Here's an update from the Q. virginiana in Newark DE mentioned previously on this forum. The bottom pic shows bark damage from 3 years ago however I think that the phloem seems to be healing quite well. The top pic shows the tree at a distance with healthy foliage. Q. virginiana north of Wash DC, with any substance are few and far between.

Hhhhmmmm...not sure I agree but we will see. Bigger issue is how completely awful that garden looked last year when their volunteers (???) couldn't attend to its upkeep. Weeds everywhere and some of the plants looking really bad. Is the huge Daphniphyllum dead? It looked on its way out last summer. Based on your first picture maybe things are back to "normal". I think the bed under the oak has been cleaned up somewhat.

(Sam's pic is from the University of Delaware arboretum if anyone has lost track)

And btw did you notice they had to remove their Magnolia macrophyllas for a new building addition?

Hey, Dave in No Va, I wondered IF you know and can tell me exactly WHAT kind of Cordy that your neighbor has growing fine next door. I am saying this because their are SO MANY types of "Cordys" out there. The 1 that I have growing potted in my Gh is a small one that had burgundy leaves, BUT, it may just be dead, since I had it last summer and brought it into my GH, it has NO upper growth, so, it just may be dead. Mine is one of those that you can buy for an "accent" plant that you could just add to a potted plant with many other types of accent plants.

Sorry, but, I can NOT remember the name of the "Cordy" beyond it being a "cordy'.

there really are not so many types out there...not at all

the standard one grown by the millions for bedding use are green seedlings of Cordyline australis. Although often misidentified by growers as things like "Dracaena indivisa". C. australis is properly considered zone 9 for long-term hardiness, if you want them to reach their true potential:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordyline_australis#/media/File:CabbageTreeKaihoka.jpg

Although they will persist in zone 8 gardens long enough to start trunking. And will occasionally "forget to die" in zone 7, if the winter is sufficiently mild. There are a few red cultivars that are probably slightly less hardy, but are uncommon as bedding plants because they are micropropagated.

The fancy broad leaved ones like this:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/939679386/cordyline-red-sister-cutting-12-live

are the so-called "Hawaiian Ti plant" and would not have survived even this winter. They are zone 10 hardy.

Okay, so I am so happy to see this info here. I have a pot with some of that so called "Hawaiian Ti plant" which I put in my greenhouse last fall and it looks REALLY dead now, with NO signs of life.

I am NOT happy to see that, but, I now see that plant is NOT the 1 that I thought that it was, and must be kept well above a zone 7 and 8 temperature zone.

And, now, MY "Cordy" that I am HOPING will come to life again, it is a Burgundy colored "spray" of lance like leaves, so, it is NOT anything like the GREEN colored "Cabbage tree" that is the hardier one that has been mentioned aka "Cordyline Australis".

Now, i have just clicked on the link above that says Cordyline australis #/media/file; CabbageTree etc and I see at FIRST what seems to be a info paragraph about "Cordyline australis" BUT it just goes away right after you see it. And, THEN you se a picture of a Cordyline tree.

I want to find that info about the "Cordyline australis", and really just where the hell can you BUY one of the green Cordy Australis plants at?

Seen it, but don't know it -- what are BLEs? Hollies?

Broad leaved evergreens

Poaky - I often see them at home depots. Ask the teenager working there for "spikes" which is their common name when used as bedding annuals.

Hi David, I will go to my local HD store once the plants are mostly all OUT perhaps in mid MAY. BUT, I am really doubtful that they will have the green Cordys out in my area. I have only seen the Burgundy ones out. I have a Burgundy one in a small pot in my greenhouse that used to have burgundy lance shaped leaves last year, it is now dead looking since it has NOT put out any damn top growth so far this season.

I am really doubtful that I could even FIND a green Cordy at my local HD store. UNLESS, I would buy a houseplant version of a Cordyline. They do have many of those. They have "trunks" with some "sprays" of leaves, and they are definitely "house plants".

MAYBE, I can find them at a HD store in WV because WV is a state that is close to MY home state. I had found an "Oleander shrub" at a WV Lowe's store last summer, BUT, that was a really "special" find for me because "Oleanders" are an zone 8 plant, NOT even close to what MY area is. I keep MY OLEANDER shrub inside my greenhouse in winter, BUT, as far as the GREEN leaved Cordyline that is a zone 9a plant, I would need to find it before I could try and keep it happy in my greenhouse in winter.

Maybe I will find some this year at my local BB store.

The live oaks that are native to Virginia had to have survived some pretty cold temperatures over the years. I would guess at least 10 below zero in our lifetimes. Those ancient ones located there...who knows what they have survived. I cant imagine that a live oak from florida could possibly be grown in Virginia and survive. I wish I could find a seller in Virginia for native live oaks!!

THIS article about Virginia's champion Q. virginiana is interesting. The Algernourne Oak is estimated to be 437 years old. All of the contact info is in the article. some enterprising soul might seek out this tree, collect acorns and grow seedlings. If it were me I would only market the seedlings to locations USDAzone 8 or milder.

Sam, I google-street-viewed Fort Monroe. It looks like there are live oaks growing all around there...along public streets, etc. Might certainly be a good place to search out acorns.

Looks like I’ve found where I’m going one weekend this fall. generally speaking, when would be the best time to go To ensure I find some acorns?

Kyle (East TN, 6b/7a), that would be in October. You want to pick them before they fall.

Hi,

I live near Stafford, VA. I recently fell in love with a live oak tree i saw while visiting the alamo. I ordered a 3’-4’ one from Arbor Day Foundation and planted it out in my front yard. After reading these posts, am I understanding correctly that its not going to survive if its from a southern seed??

The chances are lower lets say.

Did Arbor Day say where their seed is from?

The Acer rubrum in the center and fhe Metasequoia on the right are Arbor Day trees btw.

I looked at the tracking info from my email and it says the label was created in Monticello, FL. 😬

(Awesome trees btw!)

Baltimore Live Oaks

Hey im based in South West France and may potentially plant some young Live Oaks next spring, see if they take. The hardiness zone, soil and location could be well suited

Hey, it won't hurt to try. I had a Quartz mountain live oak live for me for about 5 years, and it just died from some rot or damage on the lower trunk. I never damaged it, so, I'm thinking maybe our dog peed on it and killed it. I still have 1 baby QMLO yet, but, it's too young to plant out yet. I'll have to plant it away from animals when I can plant it out in maybe 2-3 years from now. Good luck Hu.

Brandon Brooks, that is an interesting street tree. Is it often used in Baltimore for this purpose, and do you think the Baltimore Orioles be changed to the Baltimore Live Oaks?

The Baltimore Zone-Pushers. :)

Something doesn't quite look right on the branching of those...seems like they are hybrids of some kind, maybe, backcrosses between compton oaks and live oaks. Are they fully evergreen in winter?

Well, it it’s been a while since I posted here. Here’s the effect of heavy snow on three of my established live oaks in northern Virginia back in Jan. 2022. Had to take them all out. It’s not the cold, BUT THE SNOW LOADS that limit their success here. I still have my oldest live oak (30’ high). For some reason it was not damaged. Maybe because it was less out in the open. And branches could rest on other trees.