Is This a Live Oak Seedling?

[PalmTreeDude]

Is this a Quercus virginiana seedling? Last Spring I was at Virginia Beach and just picked up the seed, which was already germinating on the ground, and brought it home with me. There are a ton of wild live oaks all around Virginia Beach, but I can't even remeber if I looked for the tree this one came from. I believe it is a live oak seedling, I kept it inside since it was so small (it was in a shady spot during the summer). It is starting to grow again. Is there a way to tell if it is a live oak other than it not losing its leaves, at this size? 

Edited February 9, 2020 by PalmTreeDude

[Jeff985]

It looks like an oak but not a live oak. I had a live oak at my last house and its leaves were smooth on the sides and the tips were sharp.

[Silas_Sancona]

It may be  ...but might be a natural cross w/ something else.. Have noticed some Quercus sp. can produce slightly different foliage when younger. Have seen some older Q. virginiana w/ some teeth in the leaf margin as well. Very possible those were/ are hybrids though since i doubt  a good %'age of specimens planted out here were sourced from pure parents. In California, the species has been crossed w/ our native Coast Live Oak also.

Would definitely bump it into a 3 gal this spring. Oaks tend to form tap roots pretty quickly and can suffer adversely if held in small containers for too long. Lost a Q. polymorpha ( Mex. White / Monterrey Oak ) last year for this exact reason..  Looks very healthy regardless..

[Turtlesteve]

I agree you need to plant it before it gets too big.  Looks sorta like live oak to me.  Seedlings are variable, some have teeth on the leaves while some don't. 

[redbeard917]

I'm almost positive that is a live oak. I agree with others that planting is better done sooner rather than later.

[RJ]

Looks like my live oak seedlings.