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| Leaves; Photo: Daniel Tigner, Canadian Forest Tree Essences |
Bark; Photo: Daniel Tigner, Canadian Forest Tree Essences |
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| Acorns; Photo: Daniel Tigner, Canadian Forest Tree Essences |
Tree; Photo: Daniel Tigner, Canadian Forest Tree Essences |
Sometimes dead leaves stay on oak trees, even in the winter.
The red oak can be found east of Lake Superior, and across central and southern Ontario. It is usually 20 to 30 metres tall, with a thick trunk sometimes more than 120 centimetres in diameter.
The red oak’s leaves are dark green and are 10 to 20 centimetres long. They have sharp, pointed lobes (usually 7 to 9) with bristly tips.
Acorns from the red oak are 2 to 3 centimetres long and are round with a scaly cap that covers less than ¼ of the acorn. The bark of the red oak is smooth and dark gray when the tree is young, but deep ridges develop as the tree gets older.
Size: 20 to 30 metres tall, trunk between 30 and 90 centimetres in diameter
Moisture: Can tolerate a variety of moisture levels
Shade: Prefers full sun, but can tolerate some shade
Soil: Grows in a variety of soils
Planting tips: The red oak needs room to grow – it can tolerate shade when it’s younger, but needs full sun as it gets older. It doesn’t grow very well if it’s close to other trees. More tips...
