Trees of Treehaven

Northern Red oak Quercus rubra

  northern red oak northern red oak

Foliage Type: leaf Arrangement: simple, alternate

Distinguishing features:

  • leaves 5" to 8" long and 4" to 5" wide
  • leaves somewhat lustrous or dull above, lighter below; without hair (glabrous)
  • leaf shape - oblong (longer than broad) to obovate (inverse egg shape)
  • leaves have 7 to 11 lobes, often toothed, with regular sinuses extending about halfway to the midrib
  • acorn cup flat and saucerlike
  • bark - nearly black on mature trees, broken up into wide flatten ridges, separated by shallow fissures

Habitats:
  • dry mesic sites
  • mesic sites
  • wet mesic sites

Often confused with:
  • Red oak
  • Pin oak

Ecological Value:
  • acorns an important food source for squirrels, deer, turkey.
  • acorns eaten by a variety of birds and animals

Did You Know?

Red oak

  • is probably the most important and widespread of the northern oaks.
  • acorns do not germinate until the following spring.
  • can live for 200 - 300 years.

Uses / Ethnobotanical uses:

  

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 Copyright 1999. This page was created by H. Knodle, M. Luthin, D. Jakes, P. Vandersteen & R. Lundquist.

 Last updated on September 14, 1999.

 Please send any suggestions or corrections to H. Knodle