- A Society of Royal Oaks -

Southern
Live Oak Tree

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

At approximately 280 years old, this Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) on Reymond Avenue in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, predates the American Revolutionary War.
It is located on land that was once part of the Hundred Oaks Plantation, which was developed by a wealthy Kentucky family, circa1820. During the first quarter of the 20th century, the plantation was subdivided into single-family lots and a house was constructed on the site. In 1947, Alma Lee and H. Norman Saurage, Jr. purchased the property. The Saurages engaged arborists annually to provide ongoing care, feeding, and pruning for the tree; eventually devising support posts for its massive branches. With the recent death of Norman Saurage, the expected sale of the property presents an impending threat. A new, larger construction introduced by a new owner would likely require the removal of the grand oak

educational partners
Garden DesignGeorge Eastman House
Additional Sponsors

John A. Brooks, Inc. • The Brown Foundation • Charles Butt • The City of Charleston • Barb & George Cochran • Topher Delaney• Jungle Gardens, Inc. • Magnolia Plantation & Gardens • Marc Dutton Irrigation, Inc. • Rancho Los Alamitos Foundation • L. Cary Saurage II Fund • Jeff & Patsy Tarr • Seibert & Rice