As was mentioned before, most of us live on postage stamp size lots. If you plant an oak, it HAS to be near a driveway, roof, lanai or birdcage. Not in my yard...I think I'll pass. I'll enjoy the oaks planted elsewhere where they are not a problem.

I can't describe the definition of a tree but I know one when I see one.

if critters are attracted to palm trees for camouflage imagine the camouflage they garner from majestic oaks and its height advantage.

Personally, I don't understand the fascination with those ugly, dirty live oaks.
(and while we're at it, why are the called "live" oaks?)

Palm trees are beautiful and remind me that I live in a tropical climate.

Oaks are ugly with all that Spanish moss hanging down. The block too much sunlight and create a mess all of one's property. The moss falls off, the leaves come down, the roofs get mold all over them and it's near impossible to grow grass where there is an oak.

Why are these things worshipped like Gods around here? I say chop them all down.

We live on a lake, and there is a common area that surrounds the lake and separates everyone's yard from the edge of the lake. The developer planted various types of trees in this common area for each home, and we got a small (about 15 foot high) live oak. Since it is not on my property, I can't do anything about it, though I do love the look of live oaks.

How fast do these things grow? For now it is a good 25 or 30 feet from the back edge of our house.

we don't live in a tropical climate. Miami, maybe, but not us. There are many other trees that can be planted if one doesn't want oaks. Many native trees that don't drop leaves. Rodents like the palms that have the brown fronds hanging down because they provide warmth and shelter, a tree is fairly open and wouldn't be as inviting. still, everyone has a right to have what they want.

To save words, just consider my post to be the exact opposite of Doc's. :)

I recall hearing that when the master plan was approved with cutting of existing oaks and other trees a requirement was that a oak was to be planted on each lot.

The state tree of Florida is a palm tree, the ca

The live oaks are great in the pasture, along the roadsides like Buena Vista at Stillwater, and on the golf courses. All most of us are saying is that in a residential yard, it's a constant mess-maker, and we like palms a lot more (the right kind of Palm for this cooler climate zone north of Kissimmee.

And whose yard is it, anyway!?!?!

the Florida state tree is a sabal palm. not sure this is what people commonly have as they are very slow growing and most people want to see results.

The state tree of Florida is a palm tree, the Cabbage Palm or Sabal palmetto. Many Palm trees can grow very well here. Although not native, the Sylvester, Pindo, and European palms are examples of Palm trees that grow well here in central Florida. Palm trees add a wonderful exotic feel to our Villages' lots. I originally had planned to plant some oak trees on my corner lot but I loved the sunsets out of my windows so I didn't want to cover the sky so I planted Sylvester palms. I kept my crapemyrtle trees and my holly trees to add some variety in the landscape. Interesting to me, when I was doing some research on live oaks, is that the trees planted on Village lots may not be the standard live oak trees you see on the golf courses. if you look around at the shopping plazas you will see smaller oak trees that I believe may be clone cultivars of oaks that either have a smaller globe growth or a narrow upright growth. Two cultivars I have read about are the "Cathedral" and "High Rise" oak trees. I would imagine that most of the trees planted by The Villages landscapers planted around new homes are these two cultivars. They will never get as big as the standard live oaks. No one has ever educated new homeowners on this, so that is why they rip them out as they don't want a monster in their yard. Today I just saw a nice group of maples with red fall color up at Laurel Manor. We probably should diversify our tree planting more, but with small lots it is understandable that people gravitate to planting palm trees.

We have an oak that is no more than 5 feet from the house........this is a tree that gets to be gigantic in circumferance. Should have cut it down when it was a sapling.....no one would have noticed. Palms are more appropriate for a small space.