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The Live Oak Society is a membership organization for mature live
The Live Oak Society is a membership organization for mature live oak trees
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
. It was founded in 1934 to advance the culture, distribution, preservation, and appreciation of the southern live oak (''Quercus virginiana
''Quercus virginiana'', also known as the southern live oak, is an evergreen oak tree endemic to the Southeastern United States. Though many other species are loosely called live oak, the southern live oak is particularly iconic of the Old South. ...
'') and functions under the auspices of the Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc. By 2013, more than 7,000 live oaks were registered with the Society.
History
Dr. Edwin Lewis Stephens, president of Southwestern Louisiana Institute (nowUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette, University of Louisiana, ULL, or UL) is a public research university in Lafayette, Louisiana. It has the largest enrollment within the nine-campus University of Louisiana System and the s ...
) from 1900 to 1938, founded the Live Oak Society in 1934. In 1957, responsibility for maintaining records and registering new applicants was assumed by the Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc. According to Society bylaws, the only human member permitted in the Society is the honorary Chairman, who is responsible for registering and recording live oak members. The only requirement for becoming a member is that the live oak must have a girth (trunk circumference) of 8 feet (2.4 meters) or greater, measured 4.5 feet (1.37 meters) above ground.
Features
In 2013, the Live Oak Society had 7,114 registered members dating from 1934, but many of the earliest registrants are labeled deceased. The live oak with the largest girth serves as President of the Society. In 1968, Seven Sisters Oak achieved President status and has retained the title, with a girth of more than 38 feet (11.6 meters), as measured in 2008. The largest stand (group) of registered live oaks, consisting of more than 200 trees, is located inCity Park (New Orleans)
City Park, a public park in New Orleans, Louisiana, is the 87th largest and 20th-most-visited urban public park in the United States. City Park is approximately 50% larger than Central Park in New York City, the municipal park recognized by Amer ...
.
Two classes of registration are available: Junior League Trees are those having a girth of 8 to 16 feet (2.4 to 4.9 meters), and Centenarian Trees that are more than 16 feet in girth. Trees are registered by designated name, location, girth, and sponsor. The registry includes trees from 14 U.S. States
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
.
See also
*National Register of Big Trees
The National Register of Champion Trees is a list of the largest tree specimens found in the United States as reported to American Forests by the public. A tree on this list is called a National Champion Tree.
The National Register of Champion Tr ...
References
External links
{{Authority control Organizations established in 1934 Non-profit organizations based in Louisiana Horticultural organizations based in the United States