Live Oaks Are the Very Best

Thanks escambia and sofer, what sweeties you are. I think there are 4 of us now to grow seed for her down there. I ordered my seed a little bit ago and don't have it yet so I presume nobody else has received any seed they bought either. The seed will probably come next week.

Say sofer, you bring up a good point regarding a housing shortage. I never thought of it from that perspective.

What escambiaguy says.

Since he's closest to the action, what if his (or similar) seed source was distributed to all those willing to do the sprouting/growing, and then returned to those in need in LA? That would spread the "load" out, but retain the value of local provenance seed.

The long-term value of coastal state provenance trees is evident every time one of these natural calamities occurs.

Well, I was getting mine from Sheffields via Lauren. But VV you do make a point. I will try to contact someone at Morrisons, which is a large old nursery in Mobile to see if maybe they know where I can find some local seed. The Mobile and Tensaw rivers are loaded with Taxodium, so surely I can get some seed from somewhere around here.

I selected a southern race from Sheffield's when I ordered but I haven't received them yet. I suspect they should be delivered some time next week. I believe I chose seed from the southern portion of the State of Arkansas. I called and asked specifically for the lot # of the southern most seed they had that was the freshest.

Escambia, if you can gather up seed to germinate from down south, let me know and I'll pass the seed coming in that was going to be routed down to you on to anyone else who might be interested in germinating it for her area.

Soferdig, if you look at JAMESCO's post farther up you will see a link to my photo web site and you can see all the trees and the birds. Enjoy.! You can also see all the devastation at my gallery "Katrina Was No Lady" on that site.

How beautiful and how terrible. Things in life are but fleeting. Wonderful capture from the heart of all things that have moved you. I have always wanted to be in a hurricaine but not in my house. It must have been horrible hearing all the tearing of roots and foundation lifting. But the ADVENTURE! Wow I can only imagine. I have gone through a tornato passing me in a ditch when it went over but it was brief. You are blessed that you still can recognize your garden.
So I'm holding on seeds until we decide. I'll follow from up here.

Soferdig, believe me you don't want that adventure. I can remember when Ivan came through here, it was around 1:30am . I laid on my bed all night with my dogs scared to death. I live in a well built brick home, but that night it seemed like my house was going to go at any moment. With every gust I could feel my whole house shake. A large limb from a pecan tree broke and fell on the corner of my house and it felt like a semi-truck hit it. I stayed fully dressed because I didn't want the police to find my dead body in pajamas. I wouldn't even take my shoes off because I didn't know if I was going to have to take off running (where to I have no idea). The whole night was filled with sounds of roaring wind, trees snapping, and rain that sounded like marbles hitting the windows. There is a forest of Slash pines next to me and I could here those things breaking all night. To ad to that, it was pitch black and I couldn't see a thing. I could only hear it. I didn't think daylight would ever get here. I hope I never have to experience it again, especially at night.

I have to think it is terrifying. But you will never forget it. I agree with you that much of the fear is about your life but also about your property. I want to do it in a off beach Hotel.

I will admit, it's not quite as bad when it is daylight (Dennis was during daylight but a weaker storm). At least you can see whats going on and whats about to happen to you. But at night it is scary.

The winds started about 10 p.m. and went on til noon the next day--howling winds and it was pitch dark and almost dark most of the time. We were in my ancestral home 25 miles from our permanent home which is closer to New Orleans. I do not think I would be sane had I stayed in the Metairie house especially when the water rose.
My husband is a meteorologist who always said he wanted to be on Grand Isle for a hurricane. I think he changed his mind during Katrina. Next time one is headed anywhere near me I am going as far away as I can get.
We lost a lot of trees at the ancestral home, but mostly away from the house. The wind was directly out of the north, then directly out of the south. We almost lost our nice live oak at the Metairie house. It lifted a little out of the ground from the north wind. I think we have saved it. Unfortunately, had to cut two beautiful limbs off the south side so it would not be too heavy on that side. The forces of wind and water are things to be respected.

And experienced. I sail and 2 times have been trapped in a small squall in puget sound that probably dumped only 70mph winds for 15 to 30 minutes. But after going through that I have never had such emotions. I can only guess a hurricane.

liveoaklady.....I need you to look at this pic and see what you think......4 years before Katrina half of my tree fell on our roof....the limb was gigantic.... there was no wind it just split and came down....I have had arborist out to look at it and they say" just wait until it falls on its own and then we will clean it up for you." .... I worried about it ..... then came Katrina and it came through like a trooper...does that mean I can stop worrying or would you say it should be taken out....It is close to a Hwy...shirleyt

Live oaks have an amazing way of "clinging to the earth" with their roots. If that tree made it through Katrina I would not be too concerned about it.

thank you..... I hope you are recovering nicely....It has been hard work here...removing all the downed trees, shed and trying to replace things...shirleyt