Red Oak Quercus coccinea
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Red Oak:
- Phonetic Spelling
- KWER-kus kok-SIN-ee-uh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Scarlet Oak is a native deciduous tree in the beech family that grows 50 to 80 feet tall and spreads between 45 to 60 feet. It is long-lived, durable and easy to grow. It is found in dry upland forests in the Piedmont and middle to lower mountains of NC. The tree prefers acidic, sandy soils on the dry side but will tolerate other soils if they are well-drained. The tree is narrow with an open, irregular crown and often retains numerous small dead branches.
It is often grown for its beautiful fall color and drought tolerance. It is an important source of food for many wildlife species. For an oak, it grows fast and bears acorns in 20 years. Due to thin bark, the tree has low fire resistance. Use as a shade tree or street tree. As with all oaks, it is a high-value wildlife plant.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Leaf spots, anthracnose, canker, mildew, rust, rots, galls, and numerous insect problems have been reported. This tree is highly susceptible to oak wilt. It is not as susceptible to chlorosis in alkaline soils like its close relative the Pin Oak (Q. palustris)
VIDEO created by Ryan Contreras for “Landscape Plant Materials I: Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers or Landscape Plant Materials II: Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Quercus
- Species:
- coccinea
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Native Americans and pioneers used the acorns for food. Roasted acorns have been ground and used as a coffee substitute. The wood is used in construction for floors, etc.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Northern Central & Eastern U.S.A
- Distribution:
- AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- high flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Oak trees support a wide variety of Lepidopteran. You may see Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May. Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), has one flight from May-July in the south and June-July in the north. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), has three to four flights in the south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) has three broods in the north from February-October. Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) has three broods in Texas and the deep south from January-November, and two broods in the north from April-September. Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) has one brood from April-June, appearing as early as January in Florida. Acorns are eaten by woodpeckers, blue jays, small mammals, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, and black bear.
- Play Value:
- Shade
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Wildlife Nesting
- Edibility:
- Acorns can be eaten once to tannins have been leached or boiled out.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 45 ft. 0 in. - 78 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Open
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 1/2 to 1-inch long acorn occurs singly or in pairs and is half covered by a deep bowl-like cap. The exposed acorn often has concentric, circular rings. Bitter in taste and require 2 seasons to mature. It starts producing at age 20.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Separate male and female flowers in non-showy catkins.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are 4-7 inches long and 3-5 inches wide and are a lustrous dark green above and paler below. The deeply cut lobes are bristle-tipped with c-shaped deep sinuses and 7 pointed lobes. The fall color is scarlet, showy and occurs late.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- On young trees, the bark is gray-brown, with smooth streaks. Later becomes darker and develops irregular broad ridges and narrow furrows especially near the base. Often spotted with gray. The inner bark is reddish to orangish.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Cluster of terminal buds
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are red-brown with multiple terminal reddish-brown buds.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
- Frequent Insect Problems
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Abdominal pain, constipation then diarrhea (occasionally bloody), depression, frequent urination, discolored urine, jaundice; acorns can obstruct the digestive tract
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin.
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Leaves
- Seeds
