The Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) is an iconic southern tree with it’s drippings of Spanish moss. When many people think about oaks, this is the tree that comes to mind. It’s always a pretty tree, especially since it always has green leaves. It sheds it’s old leaves in the spring, but it’s done a little at a time as the new ones come in, so it never looses all it’s leaves or it’s color. In my opinion, though, these trees are at their most beautiful in the mid summer. All the leaves are still a bright, fresh green and they contrast perfectly with the lighter green of the Spanish moss. The bright summer sun almost makes them shine. This particular tree grows alongside the property occupied by one of the gas stations in the small town near where I live. It just goes to show that there is beautiful nature even in the city.