The Live Oak & Spanish Moss

By Lori Smaltz written 5/11/08 3:09 PM, published 5/13/08 11:46 PM
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  • And you ask yourself --- uh well are the other Oaks dead then? I wondered too.
  • The fact is that the Live Oak is actually related to the evergreen and remains green throughout winter while the other oaks drop leaves and look dead.
  • Most times when I see a live oak it has a special little biological parasite called Spanish Moss, dripping from the large branches, sort of resembling a messy hair-do or a bad weave! However it falls, it diffuses light or offers reflective light and depending on how much moisture is in the Spanish Moss at that given time, sets up a nice situation for a photo.
A warning to tourists: Don't try to take home the Spanish Moss! -- little red bugs live in it (similar to chiggers) .
  • One of the trees in this series is commonly referred to as only; The Majestic Oak. It is over 360 years old, can you guess which one it is?
Live Oak

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  • buggin 5/11/08 3:15 PM

    gorgeous.  I try and try to take pictures of live oaks, but they always seem so busy.  These are beautiful


  • cratchet 5/11/08 7:23 PM
    Image four really takes the prize, for me!  Lovely, old Southern plantation feeling to it.

    - the EYES have it


  • Swat 5/12/08 2:14 AM
    love the colour versions , the last two look spooky with orton effect (I guess??)

  • enigmaticfaerie 5/12/08 6:31 AM
    LOVE the second one.  The lighting was perfect.  The third has such beautiful tones and the last two sport the orton effect very well.  Fabulous set!

    - Film-junkie: Back in 2008


  • MRQUACKERS 5/12/08 11:28 AM
    The second one for me, I like the way it is composed.

    - A quack with an camera


  • andreaeagle 5/12/08 12:51 PM
    2 & 3 for me! They're gorgeous!

    - come over for lunch


  • Buccaneer Bruce 5/12/08 5:35 PM
    This set gets a hearty pirate YO HOOOO!!  Loved the atmosphere and color in the second shot best.

  • lifeonfilm 5/12/08 6:01 PM
    Very nice set!

  • Old Shot 5/12/08 8:16 PM

    The Majestic Oak is Number Three.  Here in South Central Texas there are tons of Live Oak and in fact there is a town called Live Oak. Aside from the Spanish Moss you can sometimes find clusters of Mistletoe.  Both of them are basically parasites that use the tree as a host. 

    Nice pics Lori. Thanks for the show!

    - Old Shot


  • VegasStan 5/13/08 11:46 PM
    Beautiful Images!! ... Great job with that Orton Effect!! ... All are deserving of the Front Page!! ... Off you go!!

    - Out of Focus!!


  • Don Phillips 5/14/08 5:44 AM
    Beautiful set.  There is nothing more beautiful than Old snarled Oaks with Spanish Moss. Only in the South...

    - Don


  • pipsqueak 5/14/08 6:29 AM
    beautiful shots. love trees and you did a great job. one or three is majestic? prob. 3 best,mark

  • trio55 5/14/08 3:35 PM
    Love em all.  Great shots!  Didn't know about the chigger like bugs.  No Spanish Moss will be brought back to my house.  :)

    - Climbing Higher


  • Anonymous User 5/14/08 7:16 PM
    Hahahaha!  I have this page tagged on my yahoo page.  And so I read the title and of COURSE it reminds me of Savannah and so I come in here...  La la la...  And it's my FRIEND writing and displaying her beautiful photo of my old favorite city!!  Hi!!  It's Heidi/B!  Gorgeous photos, as always.  See you this August-ish, after the deployment is over!  Woo hoooo!

  • chef 5/14/08 10:44 PM
    Beautiful set.......well done

  • The Old Guy 5/15/08 1:48 PM

    Aside from the little red bugs and the fact that is sucks nutients from the host (rarely enough to harm the tree) It also harbors these, according to Wikipedia;

    "Spanish moss shelters a number of creatures, including rat snakes and three species of bats. One species of spider, Pelegrina tillandsiae (Salticidae), has been found only on Spanish moss."

    Nice set of photos.  

    - say it with photos


  • Lori Smaltz 5/22/08 8:11 AM
    Number 3 is the Majestic Oak!   :::wavin hey heidi! we'll go on a photo safari when you get here!

    - american[bohemian] style