Live oaks are considered monoecious plants, which means the flowers contain both male and female parts. Germination occurs shortly after the seed falls. Rapid growth rates of four feet in the first year are possible if soil conditions are good (e.g. adequate moisture); however, if an acorn is found by wildlife it is subject to predation. The acorns are an important source of food for many birds and mammals. The Live Oak is normally found on the lower coastal Plain of southeastern United States, on the coast between the states of Virginia and Florida. This tree can grow up to an average of fifty feet tall and thirty-six to forty-eight inches wide, but the trunk can be over seventy inches thick. The leaves of the Live Oak are normally rolled at the edges, and they have gray or white hairs underneath. This plant is a great species for reforestation in efforts to prevent erosion on cleared land for agriculture.

The practice of using live oak in shipbuilding was well established in America by 1700. Early famous live oak vessels include the Hancock, an American revolutionary privateer, and the USS Constitution and Constellation, built in the 1790’s.