The basics

Northern red oak is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree that is a dominant component of eastern deciduous forests. It is native to eastern and central North America, from southern Canada south to Alabama and Georgia, and from the east coast west to Minnesota and Oklahoma. Also called ‘eastern red oak’ or simply ‘red oak,’ northern red oak prefers upland forests with well-drained soils and is prized in landscaping for its spreading crown and stately presence. The leaves are simple, symmetrical, and approximately 7 inches in length. They have pointed lobes with bristle tips and smooth undersides and turn brilliant red in the fall. The leaf petioles (leaf stems) and twigs are also smooth and tinged with red. The acorns are smooth and 1 to 1 ¼ inch long with a round cap that resembles a beret. Northern red oak bark has shiny gray vertical streaks and ridges; these streaks are sometimes called “ski tracks” and distinguish northern red oak from the similar Shumard oak (Q. shumardii).