Red OakQuercus Rubra L.

By, Ronnie Booth

Classification

Kingdom- Plantae Subkingdom- Tracheobionta Superdivision- spermatophyta Division- Magnoliophyta Class- Magnoliopsida Subclass- Hamamelididae Order- Fagales Family- Fagaceae Genus- Quercus L. Species- Quercus Rebra L.1

Shape Form and Type

• The Red oak is a rather large tree.– It can grow to be up to

80 feet tall with a trunk diameter of up to three feet.

– The branches form a round top of the tree

– The trunk is normally straight. 2

Figure 1- Red Oak

Bark

• The Bark can be a variety of colors with dark stripes– Mostly a gray or brown color.2

Figure 2: Red Oak Bark

Twig

Figure 3- Red Oak Twig• The twig of a red oak is

smooth and slender.• It also has a red tinge to it.• It has an alternating bud

structure, with buds clustered toward the top of the twig.2

Leaf

Figure 4- Red Oak Leaf• The Leaf of a Red Oak is

lobed with tapered ends.– There are 7-11 lobes

• The leaf is green, but in the fall it turns red.

• They can be up to 10 inches long and 6 inches wide.2

Bud

• The bud of a Red Oak is shiny, red, and pointed.– It is about ¼ inch long.2

Figure 5- Red Oak Bud

Flower

Figure 6- Red Oak Flower• The flower of a Red Oak

drops down from the leaves in groups of 2-3.2

Fruit

• The fruit of a red oak is a acorn.– Its is up to a 1 ½ inches long– The cup covers less than 1/3 of

the acorn.– They are pale brown in color.2

Figure 7- Red Oak Fruit

Habitat and Range

Figure 8- Red Oak Range

Uses

Figure 9- Red Oak Desk• Red Oak is used for

furniture, fence posts and fuel.2

Works Cited1- USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (

http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=display&classid=QURU ) National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA. Reviewed on 6-23-10.

2- Mohlenbrock, R. H. (n.d.). Northern Red Oak. Forest trees of illinois. Illinois: Illinois Department of Resources Division of Forest Resources.

Images CitedFigure 1- Red Oak

No DateDate Retrieved: 6-23-10http://www.borealforest.org/world/trees/northern_red_oak.jpg

Figure 2- Red Oak barkNo DateDate Retrieved: 6-23-10 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Northern_Red_Oak_(Quercus_rubra)_bark_detail.jpg

Figure 3- Red Oak TwigNo Date, Dave HansonDate Retrieved: 6-23-10 http://www.mntca.org/images/photos/resources/treeid/dec_alt_oak_red/ph_oak_red_lrg_03.jpg

Figure 4- Red Oak LeafNo DateDate Retrieved: 6-23-10http://www.tree-land.com/images/red_oak_tree_l_lg.jpg

Images CitedFigure 5- Red Oak Bud

No DateDate Retrieved: 6-23-10

https://fp.auburn.edu/sfws/samuelson/dendrology/images/fagaceae/N_rdoak%20bud1.jpg Figure 6- Red Oak Flower

2003, Steven BaskaufDate Retrieved: 6-23-10http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/biohires/q/hqufa--flinflor18060.JPG

Figure 7- Red Oak FruitNo DateDate Retrieved: 6-23-10http://www.mortonarb.org/images/stories/advice/largeoaks/Northern_red_oak-fruit.jpg

Figure 8- Red Oak RangeNo Date Date Retrieved: 6-23-10http://www.wildwnc.org/education/trees/images/quercus_rubra.jpg

Figure 9- Red Oak DeskNo Date, Bill ArkisonDate Retrieved: 6-23-10http://www.billarkison.ws/files/users/a/535CF044A36B3063E040A8C0AC007347/MATT-DESK-WEB.jpg