Live Oak

Quercus virginiana

Physical Characteristics

Quercus virginiana is an evergreen Tree growing to 20 m (65ft 7in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower in April. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Distribution

South-eastern N. America - Virginia to Florida and Texas.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Oil Seed Edible Uses: Coffee Oil Seed - raw or cooked[63, 161, 171]. Low in tannin, it has a sweet flavour[82]. The seed is usually produced in clusters of 3 - 5 and is about 25mm long and 10mm wide[82, 200]. It is about 12mm long according to another report[227]. It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread. The seed contains bitter tannins, these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost. Either the whole seed can be used or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder. It can take several days or even weeks to properly leach whole seeds, one method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can tell when the tannin has been leached. The traditional method of preparing the seed was to bury it in boggy ground overwinter. The germinating seed was dug up in the spring when it would have lost most of its astringency. An edible oil obtained from the seed is used for cooking[149, 161, 177]. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute.

Medicinal Uses

Analgesic Antihaemorrhoidal Astringent Dysentery The bark is astringent[257]. A decoction has been used in the treatment of dysentery[257]. A decoction of the wood chips or the bark has been applied externally as an astringent analgesic to treat aches and pains, sores and haemorrhoids[257]. Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc[4].

Known Hazards

None known