YardMate
English
Download
Swamp Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia), whole plant
  • Swamp Laurel Oak — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Swamp Laurel Oak — seasonal appearance
  • Swamp Laurel Oak in a garden setting

Swamp Laurel Oak

Quercus laurifolia

Easy · Beginner friendly

About Swamp Laurel Oak

Laurel Oak is a Southeastern American native evergreen-to-semi-evergreen oak reaching 60-80 feet, with smooth narrow lance-shaped dark-green leaves resembling laurel foliage. Fast-growing with a graceful symmetrical canopy, it is widely planted as a shade tree across the Southern United States from the Carolinas to Texas. Tolerant of urban conditions and moist soils, it provides important wildlife habitat in Southern American landscapes.

  • Evergreen
  • Fast-growing
  • Native
WATER
Regular
Top inch dry
LIGHT
Full sun
6+ hrs direct
HARDY
Hardy to -10°F (-23°C)
USDA hardiness zones 6–9

How to care for Swamp Laurel Oak

Watering

  • Springevery 10 days
  • Summerevery 7 days
  • Fallevery 14 days
  • Winterevery 21 days

Soil · Well-draining

  • Top dressingPine bark mulch10%
  • Main mixPotting soil + perlite 2:170%
  • DrainageLECA / gravel20%

Never skip the drainage layer — standing water is the top cause of root rot.

FERTILIZER

  • Springevery 180 days
Get watering reminders for Swamp Laurel Oak — free on iPhoneDownload on the App Store

At a Glance

  • NativeNorth America
  • Height60–80 ft (18.3–24.4 m)
  • Spread35–45 ft (10.7–13.7 m)
  • Flower colorGreen
  • Foliage colorGreen
  • Fruit colorBrown
  • SoilLoamy, Moisture-retentive
  • LocationsYard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

Mar–May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Yellow-green catkins in spring

Toxicity

Humans Slight · Pets Moderate

gallotannins

Slight

  • Leaf
  • Seed
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating leaves and seeds.

EFFECT Tannin-rich acorns and foliage can cause GI upset.

NOTE All Quercus species contain tannins; livestock poisoning well documented.

Moderate

  • Leaf
  • Seed
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating leaves and seeds.

EFFECT Acorns and young leaves can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney damage due to tannins.

NOTE All Quercus species contain tannins; livestock poisoning well documented.

Moderate

  • Leaf
  • Seed
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating leaves and seeds.

EFFECT Acorns and foliage can cause GI upset and kidney damage.

NOTE All Quercus species contain tannins; livestock poisoning well documented.

Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

DISTRIBUTION

Swamp Laurel Oak · Native
  • Native
  • North America

History

Illustrated historical scene for Swamp Laurel Oak

Quercus laurifolia, the laurel oak or swamp laurel oak, is native to the coastal plain and piedmont of the southeastern United States from Virginia to Texas. Colonial botanists including Mark Catesby and later André Michaux documented the species in the 18th century. Its glossy semi-evergreen leaves resemble the unrelated Mediterranean laurel, hence the common name.

Indigenous southeastern peoples used various oaks for acorn food after leaching tannins, and colonists valued the wood for rough construction and fuel. By the 20th century the tree was widely planted as a street and park shade tree throughout Gulf Coast cities because it grows quickly and tolerates urban soils, though it typically lives only 50 to 70 years.

Among the most planted native shade trees in the South, especially in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Provides critical food for deer, squirrels, turkeys, and many bird species through its acorn production. It remains common in Savannah, New Orleans, and Houston landscapes.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

The Swamp Laurel Oak makes visible endurance, a stately Southern shade tree thriving where many oaks would falter — wet feet, summer heat, and humid winters all suit it. Its heritage runs through the American South, where it serves as an iconic landscape oak shading streets, parks, and old plantation drives alike. It is a tree of long Southern afternoons, holding the line for shade and memory.

  • Endurance — large evergreen oak giving shade to wet Southern woods
  • Heritage — iconic landscape oak of the American South

Where the Name Comes From

'Quercus' is the classical Latin name for oak; 'laurifolia' means laurel-leaved.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Acorns feed deer, turkey, and many woodland mammals
  • Tall semi-evergreen oak casts deep summer shade in Southern yards
  • Stately laurel oak with willow-like leaves as landscape anchor

Related plants

More Quercus plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Swamp Laurel Oak?

In summer, water about every 7 days; in winter, about every 21 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.

How much light does Swamp Laurel Oak need?

Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.

Is Swamp Laurel Oak toxic to cats or dogs?

Pets Moderate (Dogs Moderate · Cats Moderate) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

Is Swamp Laurel Oak easy to grow?

Yes — it is considered an easy, beginner-friendly plant.

When does Swamp Laurel Oak bloom?

It typically blooms Mar–May in the Northern Hemisphere.

YardMate

Identify any plant in seconds

Snap a photo — YardMate names the plant, diagnoses problems, and reminds you when to water.

Download on the App Store
YardMateIdentify · Diagnose · Remind
Download