Download 27. Red Oak - Friess Lake School District

Common Name of Plant: Northern Red Oak
Scientific Name of Plant: Quercus rubra
Average Height of Plant: 70 – 90 feet
Blooming Time: May
Ask the Botanist
What are the leaves like?
The alternate leaves have 7 to 9 coarsely-toothed lobes. The sinuses between the lobes extend
half-way to the midrib. The leaves are dull green above and paler below. Each leaf is 5-9
inches long and 4-6 inches wide. The leaves are broader at the tip than at the base. In the fall
the leaves turn deep red.
What type of flowers bloom on this plant? What do the seedpods or seeds look like?
The male flowers are grouped in slender catkins. The female flowers are located on small
spikes and are difficult to see. Red oaks produce large, bitter acorns. These acorns are blunttopped, flat at the base, and have a shallow, dark-brown cup. Each one is velvety inside.
What is unusual about the stem or trunk?
The bark is thick and gray or brown in color with deep vertical ridges and valleys.
How is this plant important to animals? Has it also been used by people?
Many animals depend on acorns for food. The wood is less valuable than that of the white oak
because it tends to easily crack. The wood is used for construction and finish of houses. It can
also be used for furniture or fuel.
What location does this plant prefer?
This is the dominant tree of the upland woods. It is found in forests with sugar maples and
basswood trees as well as drier forests with white and black oaks. It is one of the fastergrowing oaks and prefers deep, well-drained soils that are supplied with moisture. Red oaks
grow throughout Wisconsin on sites with better soil. Red oak is intermediate in shade
tolerance.
Pictures
Whole Plant
Leaf
Fall color
Buds
Flowers
Seeds
Stem or Tree Bark
Photos by Darrin Kimbler
University of Wisconsin – Madison
Botany 402 Image Collection