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Gerald L. Klingaman
Fagaceae
Quercus rubra
Northern Red Oak
The northern red oak is a tall, adaptable, deciduous shade tree valued for its fine lumber and beauty. Mature trees develop a broad, rounded crown and strong, upright central leader with easy-to-identify bark with wide, shallow fissures that are light gray-brown on top and dark brown in the fissures. It is native across much of eastern North America and naturally inhabits upland hardwood forests, slopes and ravines. Unlike many northern hardwood trees, it is relatively fast-growing.
Its large leaves are dark-green and distinctly lobed with sharp bristles at the tips. In autumn, they turn deep red to orange-red. If trees suffer inadequate growing conditions over summer, foliage may turn a dull red-brown or yellow-brown. The insignificant flowers of northern red oak appear in spring. These are followed by many chestnut-brown acorns that appear in fall and are eaten by wildlife.
This tree performs well sites with full to partial sun and well-drained, average to fertile soil. Though it tends to prefer soil with a slightly acid to neutral pH, it will also tolerate some alkalinity. It is moderately pollution, drought and salt tolerant but requires a lot of room to grow. In the landscape red oak is best grown as a shade tree for naturalistic landscapes, parks and large yards.
This and other species in the red oak group are susceptible to the lethal vascular disease, oak wilt (Ceratocystis fagacearum). Oak wilt can be spread by root grafts or is vectored by oak bark and sap feeding beetles. Other fungal cankers and rots can also damage red oak.
Red oak is the larval host plant of the gray hairstreak butterfly (Strymon melinus).
9 - 5
3 - 9
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Tree
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade, Full Shade
60'-80' / 18.3m - 24.4m (70)
60'-70' / 18.3m - 21.3m (60)
Spring
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Acidic, Neutral
Well Drained
Clay, Loam, Sand
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Fast
Oval/Rounded
Spring, Summer, Fall
Insignificant
Yellow Green
Brown, Sienna
Green, Dark Green
Red, Brown, Dark Red, Bronze
Brown, Black, Gray
No
Yes
Coarse
Matte
Fissured
Shade Trees, Street Trees
Birds, Butterflies
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