21
May

To remove or prune scrub oak on your property, located in Larkspur or Douglas county, contact us now.

Difference Between Live Oak and Scrub Oak

Scrub oaks and live oaks have many similarities. However, they also have many differences that will affect their benefits they offer an environment. It’s important to know the differences to make sure you have the right type of oak in your home.

Both will survive in harsh environments and they can be good for areas that have suffered devastating wildfires. However, the cultural requirements and growth habits can affect your choices.

The Size and Life of the Different Oaks

Live oaks are beautiful evergreen trees. They grow relatively slowly and tend to be shallow. You’ll see the root systems at the top of the surface in many cases. However, while they are slow to grow, they can be extremely tall, growing as much as 50ft in height. They can also grow to 80ft in width in the canopy.

Scrub oaks are much smaller and shrubbier. They tend to only grow to 15-20ft high. They tend to grow relatively quickly.

Cultural Requirement Differences of the Oaks

Live oaks work well in coastal regions since they’re able to withstand the higher salt levels in the earth. They are also good for sunny locations, dealing with drier weather systems. However, while they can deal with some moisture and withstand a small amount of flooding, they’re not built to survive wet soils.

Similarly, scrub oaks don’t deal too well in wet conditions, but they are perfect for dry conditions. They grow well in drought conditions and will re-sprout quickly after wildfires. It’s no wonder that they work well in the scrubby hills and drought areas of the United States.

Acorns and Bark Differences

While both types of oaks will grow acorns, the fruits look slightly different. Live oaks look long and tapered. You’ll find them growing in clusters along the trees. Meanwhile, scrub oaks are ¾” long, half enclosed with a cup.

As for the bark, the colors are slightly different. Live oak trees look gray, which darkens as the tree gets older. The bark on a scrub oak is red-brown to gray.
Then there’s the foliage, which is leathery on a live oak. The leaves will have alternate patterns along the stems and tend to grow to about 3in in length. Scrub oaks leaves are about 5 inches long with several lobes with a central vein.

Know what you have in your local area. It will affect the way you look after it and the benefits of the trees.
If you live in the area that can be proned to wildfires, contact us for a free estimate on scrub oak clearing, gambel oak landscaping, defensible breaks creation, and brush clearance. Serving Larkspur and surrounding areas.