Northern Red Oak

The Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) is a large-sized shade tree. It has a rounded, irregular but dense crown with spreading branches and grows at a relatively fast rate for the first 10 years. Its foliage is a handsome green with 4-8” leaves that have 7-11 lobes with bristled tips. In the fall, the leaves turn a brilliant bright to dark red on its big, spreading form which lights up the autumn landscape. Its bark is smooth when young but matures to have wide ridges with flat tops and shallow furrows. The tree produces medium-sized acorns with a flat, thick cup that covers one-fourth of the nut but does not produce an abundant acorn crop until about 40 years.

The Northern Red Oak is native from Nova Scotia down to Pennsylvania and west to Minnesota and Iowa. It can be found growing in the wild in well-drained uplands, on lower and middle slopes, in coves, ravines, or valley floors. This tree marks an excellent shade tree or specimen in yards, parks, or along streets. Its broad-spreading branches and overall large growth habit give it a stately appearance in the yard or park and is even more captivating in the fall when its leaves explode into a red display. It does best in full sun and can withstand a variety of soil types as long as they are relatively well-drained.