Lineage: Wild-Harvested Texas Native | Soil: Organic Heritage Mineral Blend
Our Texas Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) is the undisputed patriarch of the Texas landscape. An Artisan Grown symbol of endurance, these trees are the very soul of the Hill Country. Our Live Oaks are field-forged for the long game, grown to create a legacy designed to provide critical dappled shade and structural majesty for centuries, surviving the harshest freezes and ice storms and the longest and most brutal droughts Texas can throw at them.
We begin with our surroundings. Every acorn we plant is hand-harvested from vigorous, centuries-old "mother" trees found on our ranch or within a strict 10-mile radius. These are the survivors of the 1950s drought, the Great Freezes of the 2020s, and the most devastating ice storms. By selecting from these locally proven genetics, we ensure your Live Oak carries the "cellular memory" required to handle the specific mineral profile and erratic weather of the Dripping Springs and Austin corridor.
Live Oaks prioritize a massive, vertical taproot from the moment they sprout. To honor this biology, we sow our acorns directly into our largest Deep Tree Pots measuring 5" x 12". These specialized, ultra-deep columns allow the taproot to drive a full foot deep before it ever encounters a boundary. By starting them in our Organic Heritage Mineral Blend, we force the tree to build its structure from local minerals rather than peat-moss fluff. This "Taproot-First" method produces a tree that is structurally superior, preventing the circling roots that plague standard nursery stock and ensuring a deep, permanent anchor into our Hill Country limestone.
Once planted in their deep pots, our trees begin their ranch training. Unlike trees kept on gravel lots or plastic ground cloth, our pots are sunk directly into outdoor sand beds for a minimum of 12 months. These beds have no barrier; the base is a blend of sand and native soil sitting directly atop the raw earth of our ranch.
This allows the trees to experience a full year of harsh Texas hilltop weather and the microbial life of our specific biome. By "sinking" the pots, we protect the roots from extreme temperature swings while forcing the tree to acclimate to our hilltop winds, heavy spring rains, and the "unapologetic full sun" of a Texas summer. When you buy a Live Oak from us, it has already passed its first-year performance test in the wild.
The definitive evergreen shade tree, offering unmatched structural beauty and ecological value.
Iconic Silhouette: Known for its wide-spreading, horizontal limbs that eventually sweep the ground, creating a majestic, cathedral-like canopy.
Evergreen Endurance: Its thick, leathery leaves provide year-round greenery and a cooling microclimate, significantly reducing ambient temperatures during the Texas summer.
Keystone Species: A single Live Oak supports hundreds of species of native insects, birds, and mammals, making it the most impactful ecological investment you can make on your land.
Legacy Bark: As the tree matures, its bark develops a deep, rugged furrowed texture that serves as a stunning visual anchor for the modern ranch landscape.
Field-grown, sun-hardened, and air-pruned. Delivered in a 5” x 12" Ultra-Deep Tree Pot with a vertical 12”, robust taproot system designed to anchor deep into our rocky Hill Country soil, ensuring this legacy tree returns with more strength year after year.
Live Oaks are remarkably adaptable but require well-draining soil. When planting, ensure the "root flare"—the point where the trunk widens at the base—is slightly above the soil line to prevent rot. While they are the gold standard for drought-tolerance, providing deep watering once every two weeks during the first two summers’ droughts will help that 12-inch taproot find the permanent water table.
For a classic "Hill Country Homestead" look, plant your Live Oak in an open area and under-plant it with our Yaupon Holly and Little Bluestem. As the Oak grows and its canopy spreads, the glossy green and bright bark of the Yaupon provides a sophisticated evergreen mid-story, while the grass create a lush green look in the spring and brings a beautiful fall transition to copper and red fall foliage.
Lineage: Wild-Harvested Texas Native | Soil: Organic Heritage Mineral Blend
Our Texas Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) is the undisputed patriarch of the Texas landscape. An Artisan Grown symbol of endurance, these trees are the very soul of the Hill Country. Our Live Oaks are field-forged for the long game, grown to create a legacy designed to provide critical dappled shade and structural majesty for centuries, surviving the harshest freezes and ice storms and the longest and most brutal droughts Texas can throw at them.
We begin with our surroundings. Every acorn we plant is hand-harvested from vigorous, centuries-old "mother" trees found on our ranch or within a strict 10-mile radius. These are the survivors of the 1950s drought, the Great Freezes of the 2020s, and the most devastating ice storms. By selecting from these locally proven genetics, we ensure your Live Oak carries the "cellular memory" required to handle the specific mineral profile and erratic weather of the Dripping Springs and Austin corridor.
Live Oaks prioritize a massive, vertical taproot from the moment they sprout. To honor this biology, we sow our acorns directly into our largest Deep Tree Pots measuring 5" x 12". These specialized, ultra-deep columns allow the taproot to drive a full foot deep before it ever encounters a boundary. By starting them in our Organic Heritage Mineral Blend, we force the tree to build its structure from local minerals rather than peat-moss fluff. This "Taproot-First" method produces a tree that is structurally superior, preventing the circling roots that plague standard nursery stock and ensuring a deep, permanent anchor into our Hill Country limestone.
Once planted in their deep pots, our trees begin their ranch training. Unlike trees kept on gravel lots or plastic ground cloth, our pots are sunk directly into outdoor sand beds for a minimum of 12 months. These beds have no barrier; the base is a blend of sand and native soil sitting directly atop the raw earth of our ranch.
This allows the trees to experience a full year of harsh Texas hilltop weather and the microbial life of our specific biome. By "sinking" the pots, we protect the roots from extreme temperature swings while forcing the tree to acclimate to our hilltop winds, heavy spring rains, and the "unapologetic full sun" of a Texas summer. When you buy a Live Oak from us, it has already passed its first-year performance test in the wild.
The definitive evergreen shade tree, offering unmatched structural beauty and ecological value.
Iconic Silhouette: Known for its wide-spreading, horizontal limbs that eventually sweep the ground, creating a majestic, cathedral-like canopy.
Evergreen Endurance: Its thick, leathery leaves provide year-round greenery and a cooling microclimate, significantly reducing ambient temperatures during the Texas summer.
Keystone Species: A single Live Oak supports hundreds of species of native insects, birds, and mammals, making it the most impactful ecological investment you can make on your land.
Legacy Bark: As the tree matures, its bark develops a deep, rugged furrowed texture that serves as a stunning visual anchor for the modern ranch landscape.
Field-grown, sun-hardened, and air-pruned. Delivered in a 5” x 12" Ultra-Deep Tree Pot with a vertical 12”, robust taproot system designed to anchor deep into our rocky Hill Country soil, ensuring this legacy tree returns with more strength year after year.
Live Oaks are remarkably adaptable but require well-draining soil. When planting, ensure the "root flare"—the point where the trunk widens at the base—is slightly above the soil line to prevent rot. While they are the gold standard for drought-tolerance, providing deep watering once every two weeks during the first two summers’ droughts will help that 12-inch taproot find the permanent water table.
For a classic "Hill Country Homestead" look, plant your Live Oak in an open area and under-plant it with our Yaupon Holly and Little Bluestem. As the Oak grows and its canopy spreads, the glossy green and bright bark of the Yaupon provides a sophisticated evergreen mid-story, while the grass create a lush green look in the spring and brings a beautiful fall transition to copper and red fall foliage.
Our plants are intentionally cultivated to be site-adapted and focus their energy on growing larger, faster, and healthier below ground so they can take-off above ground once planted. All plants are grown to prioritize dense, downward-oriented root systems that allow rapid establishment in non-irrigated, deer-pressured landscapes.
Water and cage until established. Even for deer resistant plants, expect browsing, especially during drought — survival comes from the roots.
