Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)

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Southern live oak – Wikipedia
Quercus virginiana - US Forest Service

The southern live oak dominates my front yard, along with many other front yards in my neighborhood. It has a broad canopy that shades a good portion of my house, as well as the street. Its top roots spread partially above ground; they have busted a section of sidewalk and raised one the concrete blocks forming the walkway to my front door.

Although it shades the yard, the St. Augustine grass is growing well beneath it.

It had very few acorns in 2013. Here is the oak seen from my roof.

Click the photo to enlarge it

A view of the oak tree from my driveway.

Every sping, the driveway gets covered with old catkins, which I sweep up and use as mulch in my garden. The catkins can also cover much of the roof and, along with fallen leaves, clog my rain gutters. All of this eventually becomes mulch or compost.