| southern red oak Quercus falcata Fagaceae (red oak) |
Leaves are simple, alternate, deciduous, with 3-5 bristle-tipped, falcate lobes. The terminal lobe is often 3-pronged. Leaves are shiny and droopy with rusty hair below. Leaves have prominent bell-shaped leaf bases. Twigs are gray-brown with rust colored hairs and buds are ovoid, red-brown, and hairy. Bark is brown-black, fissured, rough, and blocky at the base. Fruit is an acorn 1/2 inches long with a shaggy cap covering 1/3 of the orange-brown striped, pubescent nut. The acorn matures in two seasons. Southern red oak is usually found on poorer sites in the southeastern U.S. The wood is used as red oak lumber. Acorns eaten by game birds, deer, and many small mammals.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Click on photo to enlarge.
All text and photographs are intended for educational purposes only and are
not for commercial use in any form. All photographs are copyrighted by the named
photographer(s), text copyright by Lisa Samuelson. © 2005, all rights reserved.
Photographs by Mike Hogan.
