Red Oak Tree

Like the maples that are well-known for the fall foliage colors, some types of oak trees too acquire dark red fall foliage. Such trees are known as red oak trees and they belong to the genus Quercus and section Lobatae. Unlike the maple trees, the fall foliage color develop in red oaks during the later part of the season and carry it for a longer time. Even though, it cannot be as spectacular as in maples, the fall foliage of oaks is often useful in extending the bright and colorful look of your landscape. It is one of the reasons why they are grown intermittently with maple trees in landscapes.

Red Oak Tree Facts

Oaks are basically classified into three groups on the basis of leaf shape - live oaks, white oaks and red oaks. Oaks are deciduous trees that are very hardy in nature. There are various species of red oak trees that are seen in different regions. In North America, northern red oak is commonly found. Likewise, there are other similar species like, Texas red oak, Southern red oak, Mexican red oak, etc. Northern red oak (Quercus rubra) is otherwise known as champion oak and is very widely used as a shade tree and also for landscaping. Like other oaks, red oaks too are fast growing and hardy. They can grow to a height of 80 to 100 feet. However, those red oaks growing in open has much wider and stouter trunks, as compared to those growing in forest areas. Red oak trees in forest areas have long trunks with branches starting at a higher level. An average tree that is ten years old can reach a height of around twenty feet.

The leaves of these trees have lobes that can range between 7, 9 or 11 in numbers. Each lobe possesses three pointed teeth-like edges. These leaves that are otherwise green in color, turns dark red in autumn. However, it has been observed that the red color may not develop during some years, when the leaves are yellow-brown in color. Even the bark of the red oak tree has a blackish brown color with numerous ridges and furrows. In case of young trees, the bark is smooth, shiny and grayish in color. These trees develop acorns that take around two years to develop fully. The acorns have a length of around half an inch and sport disc-shaped cups on one end.

How to Care for a Red Oak Tree

As mentioned above, these oaks are hardy and require minimal care. They survive in a wide range of climatic and soil conditions. While young plants can be grown in partial shade, but for a healthy growth the trees require full sun. It is always better to plant them in sandy loam that is neutral or slightly acidic in nature. Young plants and trees require regular watering, especially, during the growing stage. Red oak trees grow at a faster rate and start producing acorns as they reach 20 years of age. Young trees may require pruning, if you want it to grow in a particular shape. Even though, they are hardy, they may develop diseases like, chlorosis, if the pH level of the soil rises above 7. The leaves turn yellow or brown, gradually leading to the destruction of the tree. Apart from that, weak trees may be attacked by insects like, gypsy moth, orange striped oak worm, canker worms and oak leaf skeletonizers. Even chestnut borer and obscure scale may attack weak red oak trees. Other problems include oak wilt, root rot and leaf scorch.