Red Oak

Red Oak-Quercus rubra L.

Leaf:

	Red oak leaves are simple, and alternate.
	They have seven to eleven lobes.
	They are dark green with a very fine textured surface.
	These leaves can grow up to ten inches long and six inches wide.
	The petiole or leaf stalk can be as long as two inches.

Stem:

	The stem is reddish brown.
	The piths are star shaped in a cross-section.
	The leaf scars are alternate and all gathered near the end of the twig; they are half round and elevated slightly.

Bark:

	The bark varies between different colors like red-brown, grayish-brown, light black or gray.
	The bark pattern has dark stripes.

Flower:

	As the leaves begin to grow, the staminate and pistillate flowers start to grow, but are born separately, while on the same tree.
	The staminate is slender.
	The pistillate is in groups of one to three.
	It has drooping catkins.

Seed:

Acorns are the seeds of this tree. They grow in pairs or sometimes solitaire. They are about an inch and a half long and are brown. The cup covers about 1/4 of the acorn and is reddish-brown with very tight scales.

Form:

	The northern red oak is a mid-range tree growing to about 80 feet in height and three feet in diameter.
	The crown is rounded, with large widely spread branches.
	The trunk is straight, column shaped, and often flared at the base of the tree.

Distribution:

	Northern red oak is widely spread throughout the eastern United States and southern Canada.
	It grows from Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, South to southwestern Georgia and Alabama.
	It extends west through Minnesota and Iowa, south through eastern Nebraska and Kansas to eastern Oklahoma.
	It is also found in eastern and southwestern Louisiana and western Mississippi.

Discussion:

	Northern red oak is one of the most commonly used wood for furniture and interior finishing.
	It is also used for fuel and fence posts.

Location:

Cumberland High School, 1496 Il route 121, Toledo Il 62468.

GPS Coordinates:

	Location N 39º 15.117ft, W 088º 11.560ft
	Elevation 589ft
	Distance 24.93ft
	Bearing South

References:

	MSN Maps and Directions. 28 Oct. 2004 <www.mapblast.com>.
	Distribution and Occurrence. 28 Oct. 2004 <http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants>.
	Mohlenbrock, Robert H. Forest Trees of Illinois. 8th ed. Springfield. Illinois Department of Natural Resources, nd.

Contact Information: Istarwalt@cumberland.k12.il.us

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