BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Quercus laurifolia | Laurel Oak 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Laurel oak is a rapidly growing, short-lived, semi-evergreen tree.  It
can reach 148 feet (45 m) in height and 6.6 feet (2 m) in d.b.h.  Laurel
oak identified as Q. hemisphaerica is slightly smaller at 131 feet (40
m) [8], and a geographic or climatic form in east Texas grows to only 30
feet (9.1 m) [40].  Poor site conditions may be responsible for the
smaller heights reported for Q. hemisphaerica.

Laurel oak develops a large, well-defined taproot on upland sands, but
little else is known about its rooting habit [27].  Roots of trees
growing in wet areas are often buttressed, which provides stability in
wet soils and may help aerate the root system [43].



RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Phanerophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Sexual:  Laurel oak is monoecious.  Acorn production begins when the
tree reaches 15 to 20 years of age.  Laurel oak produces abundant
flowers almost every year and is a prolific seed bearer.  Dissemination
of the heavy acorns is mainly by squirrels, but gravity and water also
play a role [27]. 

Germination is hypogeal.  Although laurel oak acorns generally germinate
in the spring, they exhibit only mild dormancy [27].  In one study,
acorns showed a 50 percent germinative capacity without cold
stratification [31].  Germination is unaffected or even slightly
increased by soaking acorns in water, a condition frequently encountered
in bottomland forests [48].  Seedlings grow rapidly [27].

Vegetative:  If cut or burned, laurel oak sprouts from the base of the
stump.  Older trees do not sprout vigorously, and their sprouts are more
susceptible to decay than those of younger trees [27].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Laurel oak is generally considered a bottomland [47] or facultative
wetland species [1].  It is not as dependent on specific site conditions
as other hardwood associates [30].  It generally grows in soils that are
better drained than where water oak and willow oak grow, but grows in
very wet sites as well [40].  Laurel oak commonly grows on alluvial
flood plains and sandy soils near rivers, swamps, and hammocks.  It
grows best on soils of the Ultisol and Inceptisol orders [27].

Laurel oak is moderately tolerant of flooding [11,43].  It is more
tolerant of prolonged soil saturation than is water oak or live oak, but
it cannot survive inundation during the entire growing season.  Short
periods of deep inundation have been known to kill laurel oak [43].
Laurel oak grows on high lands surrounding swamps and major rivers which
flood deeply and frequently but drain rapidly because of relief.  It
also grows on wet flats which are better drained than swamps [18].

In addition to bottomland forests, laurel oak is found in bay swamps,
mixed hardwood swamps, river swamps, hydric hammocks, and cypress
(Taxodium spp.) ponds and strands [11,39].  Laurel oak also grows on
barrier islands off the Atlantic Coast [17,21].  On an island off South
Carolina, laurel and live oaks grow 0.3 mile (0.5 km) inland from the
ocean on the southern end of the island and to the beach on the northern
end [17].

Q. hemisphaerica grows on dry, sandy sites [11] including stable dunes
of beaches and islands [20], mesic and xeric hammocks, and sandhills
[7,42].  In east Texas, a form of laurel oak, described as Q.
hemisphaerica, forms extensive mottes on sandy hammocks and prairies
[40].

In addition to trees mentioned in SAF Cover Types; Habitat Types and
Plant Communities; and Taxonomy, overstory associates include Nuttall
oak (Q. nuttallii), white oak (Q. alba), yellow-poplar (Liriodendron
tulipifera), red maple (Acer rubrum), green ash (Fraxinus
pennsylvanica), swamp hickory (Carya glabra), and honeylocust (Gleditsia
triacanthos); and on wetter sites water hickory (Carya aquatica),
waterlocust (Gleditsia aquatica), and overcup oak (Q. lyrata).  On
better-drained sites, laurel oak is associated with spruce pine (Pinus
glabra), swamp chestnut oak (Q. michauxii), and cherrybark oak (Q.
falcata var. pagodifolia).

Common associates in Florida are southern magnolia (Magnolia
grandifolia), pignut hickory (Carya glabra), scrub hickory (C.
floridana), and Carolina basswood (Tilia caroliniana).

Associated shrubs and small trees include American hornbeam (Carpinus
caroliniana), Virgnia-willow (Itea virginica), poison-sumac
(Toxicodendron vernix), swamp cyrilla (Cyrilla racemiflora), littleleaf
cyrilla (C. racemiflora var. parvifolia), sebastian bush (Sebastiana
ligustrina), dahoon (Ilex cassine), possumhaw (I. decidua), swamp
dogwood (Cornus stricta), sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia), tree
lyonia (lyonia ferruginea), buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis),
pinckneya (Pinckneya pubens), and rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.).
Associated vines include coral greenbrier (Smilax walteri), laurelleaf
greenbrier (S. laurifolia), crossvine (Bignonia capreolata), muscadine
grape (Vitis rotundifolia), and Alabama supplejack (Berchemia scandens)
[27].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

Laurel oak is shade tolerant and often becomes established under and
grows up through a dense canopy [27].  Monk [28] considers laurel oak a
climax pioneer species because it invades successional communities and
is instrumental in the conversion to climax.  It has produced successful
seedlings beneath a laurel oak canopy [5].

Laurel oak is also an early invader on some sites.  It will invade early
seral wetlands if a seed source is nearby [9].  With fire suppression,
laurel and willow oaks invaded a wetland savanna in the Big Thicket area
of east Texas.  The savanna eventually became an oak flat with very
little growing beneath the oaks and standing water much of the year
[46].

In the absence of fire, laurel oak (including Q. hemisphaerica of
[10,29,42]) invades and becomes established on former longleaf pine
(Pinus palustris) sites and sandhill sites [5,13,36].  Laurel oak was
found on upland longleaf sites with colored sand, but not on harsher
white sand soils which are leached and well sorted [5].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Laurel oak sustains high leaf fall production from October to March
[43].  It flowers in February or March, at the same time that the last
of the previous year's leaves are shed.  Acorns mature after 2 years and
fall in late September and October.  Germination occurs in the spring
[27].

Related categories for Species: Quercus laurifolia | Laurel Oak