Trees - #128

“I think that I will never see, a poem as lovely as a tree”…  Joyce Kilmer

One of the most amazing and impressive natural wonders of the southern landscape are their live oak trees. If I were to make a list of my favorite things - live oaks would definitely top the list. They are truly something special!

So a little about live oaks…. To begin, they are an evergreen, meaning unlike other types of oaks that go dormant during the colder months and lose their leaves, live oaks keep their leaves and stay green year round. Most trees grow up towards the sky, live oaks grow out. A mature tree might be 50’ in height, but its canopy can spread over 150’! It is common to see beautiful live oaks draped with Spanish moss- much like garland hanging from a Christmas tree. Their massive, gnarly branches stretching out like tentacles and curling back up towards the sky; every one of them with their own unique personality. You can’t help but feel awed in their presence; there’s a wisdom in their age and endurance.

My first encounter with live oaks was in Texas. They were different than trees I was used to seeing up north. In Mississippi, I found them even more prolific. Often when driving along the coast, live oaks line both sides of the road giving the feeling of driving up to an elite estate or old time plantation. 

One of the ways Mississippi is preserving and honoring these great trees is through a registry. Significant trees ( determined by measuring the circumference ) with a girth of 16+ feet - can be sponsored and listed with one of these services. The Champion Tree Program also tracks the largest specimen of every tree in the state; a professional forester verifies measurements. Tree protection ordinances help to protect the trees particularly on the Gulf Coast where laws are strictly enforced. The monetary fines are hefty as well as jail sentence in some instances.