Oak trees in Florida are an important part of the landscape. Many oak trees are native to Florida and grow throughout the Sunshine State. From the evergreen southern live oak trees that thrive in South Florida to the deciduous oak trees like the Shumard oak and willow oak in the north, you will find a wide variety of oak tree species.

The black tupelo tree is an attractive ornamental tree native to North America. Also called the black gum or sour gum, the deciduous tree is identified by its oval, dark green glossy leaves, bark resembling alligator skin, clusters of greenish-white flowers, and bluish-black fruits. The spectacular feature of black tupelo trees is its eye-catching fall foliage, which can turn vibrant orange, bright red, yellow, or purple shades.

The white ash tree is a majestic deciduous shade tree with dark green pinnate leaves, silvery-brown bark, and clusters of small greenish or purple flowers. The large, branching white ash is identified by its irregular pyramidal or rounded crown, dense foliage, and stunning red fall colors. Also called the American ash tree, this ash species is popular as a specimen tree and often lines streets because it is easy to grow and tolerates challenging urban conditions.

The black walnut tree is a huge deciduous tree with aromatic lanceolate leaves, drooping clusters of greenish-yellow flowers, dark gray bark, and tasty walnuts. Known for its ornamental value, a black walnut tree has an attractive oval crown with upward spreading branches and dense foliage. Apart from being a beautiful tree, the black walnut is usually planted for its abundance of edible nuts.

Hazel is a group of large deciduous multi-stemmed shrubs or trees that produce tasty round hazelnuts. Hazel trees and shrubs are identified by their rounded leaves with toothed margins, dangling cylindrical flower clusters, and smooth brown bark. The common hazel (Corylus avellana) is the type of tree producing the most hazelnuts. The American hazelnut (Corylus americana) is a large flowering shrub that also produces edible nuts.

The live oak tree is an impressive evergreen tree with sprawling branches, leathery lanceolate leaves, and dark brown or black egg-shaped acorns. Live oak trees grow rapidly, and they are beautiful specimens or shade trees for any landscape. Once established, live oaks are easy to care for and adapt well to most soil types. Under ideal conditions, live oak trees can grow for hundreds of years.

A red oak tree is a fast-growing deciduous tree with dark green lobed leaves with bristle tips, pale green catkins (flower clusters), and a broad-spreading irregular crown. Red oak trees are famed for their spectacular fall colors in vibrant shades of red, burgundy, copper, and bronze. Like all oak species, the red oak produces acorns—rounded brownish nuts hanging in warty caps.

The sourwood tree is an ornamental deciduous small tree famous for its white flowers, lanceolate leaves, gray-brown patterned bark, and red fall leaves. The attractive features of a sourwood tree are its pretty urn-shaped white flower clusters (panicles), stunning foliage that turns shades of crimson-red to reddish-purple color in the fall, and attractive red-brown bark. Sourwood is a beautiful decorative tree suitable for growing in full sun to partial shade in residential garden landscapes.

White oak tree is a majestic, deciduous tree identified by rounded-lobed leaves, red or pale green clusters of flowers (catkins), and small brown acorns. White oak trees are typically slow-growing large trees with a wide, spreading rounded crown. The large canopy of the oak tree makes it a beautiful shade tree for open landscapes and parks. White oaks are also easy to propagate from acorns or saplings, and their slow growth means you can plant one in a large backyard.

The eastern red cedar is an evergreen tree with scale-like leaves, small yellow flowers, and blue berry-like cones. The medium-sized coniferous tree is common throughout North America. The red cedar is identified by its reddish-brown bark, blueish-green leaves that turn bronze in winter, and columnar or pyramidal shape. Apart from being a tall specimen tree, easter red cedars are popular as evergreen hedge plants due to their dense foliage.