Red oak is a North American tree with spectacular reddish brown leaves in Autumn. It is a “Big Woods” forest species, typically occurring in mixed stands of elm, ash, beech and maple trees.
Along with Pin Oak, it is also one of the few oaks that is an important shade tree in the landscape industry. It is notable for its rapid growth rate.
Red Oak is native to rich woodland areas where it grows to 90 feet tall. Its branches and upper trunk are marked with long, light gray lines which remind some people of ski trails.
Widespread in the eastern United States, it was long ago introduced into Europe as a landscaping tree. The Red Oak’s leaves contain tannin, a substance that makes them leathery and hinders their decomposition. At this time of the year they are dark red and fading to brown. They may remain on the tree well into Fall.
Each leaf has 7 to 11 lobes and the tips of the lobes are bristle tipped. The sinuses (cut out areas) of the lobes are U-shaped. The leaves of saplings tend to be very shallowly lobed.
The tough, heavy wood of this tree has a reddish-orange coloration, and is an important hardwood for the Ohio timber industry. It is used for beams, veneer, furniture and flooring.
Its large acorns mature earlier in the season than those of most other oaks and provides a source of food by late Summer as well as Autumn and Winter for many forms of wildlife, including Blue Jays, woodpeckers, Wild Turkey, mice, squirrels, raccoon and deer.
