Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Southern Live Oak
Southern Live Oak is a long-lived shade tree with a dense canopy of dark green, leathery leaves that shades a yard nearly all year. It has been part of desert landscapes for decades, and it does well in desert soil on deep, regular drip water. In the Valley it grows into a broad tree about 20 to 50 feet tall and wide, and it handles cold to about 0°F. Use it as a big shade tree for a yard, a street or drive tree, or a tree that feeds wildlife.
Best for: a big shade tree for a large yard, a single-trunk street or drive tree, and a tree whose acorns and insects feed birds and wildlife.
Its dense canopy of dark green, leathery leaves throws deep shade nearly all year. Plant it where you want deep shade over a patio, lawn or play area in a big yard. Give it 20 feet or more from other trees so the canopy can spread.
Nursery-grown live oaks usually have a single trunk, which suits a street edge, a long drive or an entry. Plant a row with 20 feet or more between trees. Raise the lower branches as it grows so cars and people can pass under.
Its small acorns drop in fall and feed birds and other animals. A big live oak gives food and shelter to many kinds of animals. Plant it where a little acorn cleanup is not a problem.
It sheds its old leaves in spring as the new ones come in, so expect a round of raking. It needs regular deep water, more than most desert trees. It also grows broad over time, so keep it out of small yards and narrow side yards.
- Row along a street or drive20 ft or more apart, center to center
- Single shade tree20 ft or more from other trees
For the first two weeks, water a new tree every 1 to 2 days in summer, or every 3 to 4 days in cooler months. Ease to about weekly in summer by the second month. Keep up deep, regular soaks for its first 3 years.
It is a regular-water tree, not a desert tree. Once rooted, soak it 2 to 3 feet deep about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 2 to 4 weeks in winter. Water at the drip line, not the trunk.
Take off the nursery stake at planting. Stake only if the tree cannot stand on its own or sits in a windy spot. Use two stakes outside the root ball with soft, wide ties, and remove them after about a year.
Shape a young tree slowly over its first few years. Never take more than a quarter of the canopy in a year, and do not strip the inner branches or top the tree.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is southern live oak evergreen?
It keeps its leaves nearly all year, but it sheds its old leaves in spring just as the new ones come in. Dry, cold weather can make the drop heavier, so plan on raking in spring.
How big does it get in Phoenix?
It grows about 20 to 50 feet tall with an equal spread, and old trees keep getting wider. Plant it with room for that canopy, well away from the house.
How fast does it grow?
It grows at a moderate pace while young, then slows as it matures. Buy a larger size if you want shade sooner.
How much water does it need?
It needs regular deep water, more than most desert trees. Once rooted, soak it 2 to 3 feet deep with drip about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 2 to 4 weeks in winter.
Is it cold hardy?
Yes, it handles cold to about 0°F, well below a normal Valley winter. An established tree needs no frost cover here.
How far apart should I plant live oaks?
Give each tree 20 feet or more from other trees, in a row or on its own. The Spacing tab on this page counts trees for your yard.
Does it drop acorns?
Yes, small acorns drop in fall and feed birds and other animals. Rake up extra acorns so seedlings don't sprout in your beds.
Are the roots a problem?
In soil that drains well and with proper watering, the roots spread evenly and stay fairly shallow. Keep that in mind when you plant near paving, and water deeply so roots grow down.
How should I prune it?
Prune a little at a time, and never take more than a quarter of the canopy in a year. As it matures, raise the lower branches over walks and views without cutting into the shade.
Is it good for birds and wildlife?
Yes, its acorns are an important food for wildlife, and the tree gives shelter to many animals. Plant it where a little acorn cleanup in fall is not a problem.
When is the best time to plant it?
Fall is the best time to plant, and winter into early spring also works. Avoid planting in the summer heat.
Can southern live oak bother allergies?
It can. Its pollen can bother people with allergies.
Southern Live Oak for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Southern Live Oak is a long-lived evergreen shade tree that has been part of desert landscapes for decades. It does well in desert soil with regular deep drip water and handles Valley cold with ease. Below are the questions people ask most, from size and spring leaf drop to watering, acorns, roots and pruning.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
How big does southern live oak get in Arizona?
In the Valley it grows about 20 to 50 feet tall with an equal spread, and old trees keep getting wider. Trees in the Southeast grow far larger, but trees that size have not been seen in the desert.
Why is my live oak dropping leaves in spring?
Live oaks shed their old leaves in spring just as the new leaves come in, so a spring leaf drop is normal. Dry, cold weather can make the drop heavier. Rake up the leaves and keep watering on schedule.
How fast does a southern live oak grow?
It grows at a moderate pace while young, then slows as it matures. Buy a larger box size if you want shade sooner.
How far apart to plant live oak trees
Give each live oak 20 feet or more from other trees, in a row or on its own. The canopy spreads wide over the years, so plant it well away from the house.
Watering southern live oak in the desert
Live oaks respond well to drip irrigation in the desert. Once rooted, soak the soil 2 to 3 feet deep about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 2 to 4 weeks in winter.
Live oak cold hardiness
It handles cold to about 0°F, well below a normal Valley winter. Frost is not a concern for an established tree here.
Pruning a live oak
As it matures, raise the lower branches to open views and walkways without cutting into the shade canopy. Never take more than a quarter of the canopy in a year.
Live oak acorns and wildlife
Small acorns drop in fall and feed birds and other animals. Rake up extra acorns so seedlings don't sprout in beds.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.