Red Oak Quercus coccinea

Other Common Name(s):

Other plants called Red Oak:

Quercus rubra

This plant has low severity poison characteristics.

Description

Scarlet oak is best known for its brilliant autumn color. It is a large rapid-growing tree of the Eastern United States found on a variety of soils in mixed forests, especially light sandy and gravelly upland ridges and slopes. In commerce, the lumber is mixed with that of other red oaks. Scarlet oak is a popular shade tree and has been widely planted in the United States and Europe.

Fire Risk: This plant has a low flammability rating.

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. However, this tree is long-living, durable and considered to be a low-maintenance tree to grow.

Cultivars / Varieties:

Tags:

#deciduous #fall color #birds #shade tree #poisonous #wildlife plant #host plant #fall interest #street tree #small mammals #low flammability #NC native #black bears #wild turkeys #deer resistant #blue jays #fire resistant #Braham Arboretum

Cultivars / Varieties:

Tags:

Attributes:
Genus:

Quercus

Species:

coccinea

Family:

Fagaceae

Uses (Ethnobotany):

Native Americans and pioneers have eaten the acorns raw or cooked. They have been ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread. Roasted acorns have been ground and used as a coffee substitute. The bitterness of the tannins is removed by leaching in running water.

Life Cycle:

Woody

Recommended Propagation Strategy:

Seed

Country Or Region Of Origin:

Eastern United States, southern Canada.

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. found along the eastern United States as far south as Georgia and North Into Maine.

Fire Risk Rating:

low flammability

Wildlife Value:

The Scaret oak is a host plant for the Banded Hairstread, Edward's Hairstreak, Grey Hairstreak, White-M Hairstreak, Horace's Duskywing, and Juvenal's Duskywing butterflies. Acorns are eaten by woodpeckers, blue jays, small mammals, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, and black bear.

Play Value:

Wildlife Food Source

Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):

Resistant to fire and to damage by deer.

Edibility:

Acorns can be eaten once to tannins have been leached out.

Dimensions:

Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.

Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.

Whole Plant Traits:
Plant Type:

Native Plant

Poisonous

Tree

Leaf Characteristics:

Deciduous

Habit/Form:

Open

Pyramidal

Rounded

Growth Rate:

Rapid

Maintenance:

Low

Texture:

Medium

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:

Loam (Silt)

Sand

Soil pH:

Acid (<6.0)

Soil Drainage:

Good Drainage

Available Space To Plant:

24-60 feet

NC Region:

Mountains

Piedmont

Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:

4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

Fruit:
Fruit Color:

Brown/Copper

Fruit Value To Gardener:

Edible

Display/Harvest Time:

Fall

Fruit Type:

Nut

Fruit Length:

< 1 inch

Fruit Description:

The fruit is an acorn (1/2" to 1" long) that occurs singly or in pairs and is half covered by a deep cap. Bitter in taste. Trees must be at least 20 years old to produce seeds but often don’t until they are over 50.

Flowers:
Flower Color:

Green

Flower Inflorescence:

Catkin

Flower Description:

The Scarlet Oak is monoecious (having the stamens and the pistils in separate flowers on the same plant), with neither male (drooping catkins) nor female (solitary or clustered) flowers being showy.

Leaves:
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:

1-3 inches

Leaf Description:

The leaves of the Scarlet Oak are 3-6" long, alternate, simple, lustrous, dark green and deeply cut with bristle-tipped & sinuses and 7 pointed lobes. The foliage is a glossy green in summer turning to scarlet in fall.

Bark:
Bark Color:

Dark Brown

Surface/Attachment:

Ridges

Bark Description:

The bark is brown with fine fissures and scaly ridges, the inner bark is red to orangish-pink.

Stem:
Stem Is Aromatic:

No

Landscape:
Landscape Location:

Lawn

Meadow

Naturalized Area

Landscape Theme:

Butterfly Garden

Native Garden

Pollinator Garden

Design Feature:

Shade Tree

Specimen

Street Tree

Attracts:

Butterflies

Songbirds

Resistance To Challenges:

Deer

Dry Soil

Fire

Problems:

Poisonous to Humans

Poisonous to Humans:
Poison Severity:

Low

Poison Symptoms:

Stomach pain, constipation and later bloody diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination if young leaves or raw acorns eaten.

Poison Toxic Principle:

Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin.

Causes Contact Dermatitis:

No

Poison Part:

Leaves

Seeds