Red Oak

Usually a medium-sized tree reaching about 35 feet tall, but can grow up to 70 feet on fertile sites. It often has one or more trunks around 10 inches in diameter. Known for its strong form and adaptability in various landscapes.

Found across dry limestone hills and ridges in Central Texas, and sometimes in fertile soils at their base. It’s native to the Edwards Plateau and surrounding areas.

Leaves are simple, alternate, 3 to 5 inches long and 2.5 to 3 inches wide. They feature 5 to 7 bristle-tipped lobes with deep sinuses and a terminal lobe that may be three-lobed. Upper leaf surfaces are shiny and dark green; undersides are paler.

Male and female flowers grow separately on the same tree during spring. Males are yellowish-green catkins 1.5 to 3.5 inches long; female flowers are reddish and about half an inch long.

Acorns mature over two years and appear singly or in pairs. They are reddish-brown, short-stalked, and often streaked with dark lines, with cups that cover one-quarter to one-half of the nut.

Bark is dark gray to black, starting smooth and becoming deeply ridged with age. The wood is used for posts, firewood, and ornamental landscaping.

Shumard oak is very similar and naturally hybridizes with red oak. It has broader-lobed leaves and typically larger acorns with shallow cups.

Red oaks can harbor oak wilt, a serious disease spread when infected firewood is moved. The fungal mats under their bark attract insects that transmit the disease to healthy trees.