The Red Oak tree is gorgeous to look at, so much so that you won’t be able to take your gaze off the tree. This North American native tree was widely used for foresting in Europe and Britain. Growing at about the height of 25-30m, it's not one of the tallest trees, but it sure is a beauty.
The red oak tree has many types, and in this article, we will be covering some of them, along with how to grow a red oak tree and its benefits. But before that, let’s talk about the characteristics of a red oak tree.
What Does A Red Oak Tree Look Like?
As the name suggests, the red oak tree looks like a red tree; it is not a very common color amongst trees, making the red oak tree stand out. It has a unique look which won many hearts. Now let’s talk about specifics.
Red Oak Tree Leaves
Red oak tree leaves are just a bit sharper towards the end, like any other oak tree leaves. They have about 5-10 lobes, each with two pointy endings. The color of the leaves is sort of like kelly green, and they turn like crimson red during fall.
Fruit
The red oak tree grows a fruit known as acorn; if you are familiar with the movie Ice Age, you most likely know what an acorn is.
White Oak Vs. Red Oak Tree
Often questions like “What’s the difference between a red oak and a white oak?” or “How can you identify a red oak tree?” are asked, and well, let’s go through that. The best and most simple to identify between red oak and white is their leaves.
As we mentioned, the red oak leaves have pointy endings, but their end is more rounded than the white oak leaves. And well, here you go, white oak vs. red oak tree problem solved.
Types Of The Red Oak Trees
The red oak tree has many many types, but we are only going to be covering briefly about a few of them.
Northern Red Oak Tree
The most popular red oak tree has to be the northern red oak tree, and for good reasons. It grows at the height of about 80-100 feet with speedy growth. It can survive in almost any type of solid, which makes this tree the best option for the red oak tree.
Southern Red Oak Tree
The southern red oak is not as expected or popular as the northern one because it is very different from the northern tree.
The most common is the difference between the color of their blooms; southern red oak doesn’t have complete red leaves during fall but rather brownish-red. It grows at the height of about 75 to 85 feet tall.
Texas Red Oak Tree
Well, as you might have guessed, texas red oak is primarily found in texas or areas nearby. It’s a compact and beautiful tree which is preferred by many.
It grows at the height of about 60 to 70 feet tall. Like the northern red oak, it also can grow on a variety of different soils. This tree has a moderate growth rate, but the payoff is also great.
Shumard Red Oak Tree
The Shumard red oak is like Texas red oak but not quite that. The main characteristic of the Shumard red oak is its leaves which are way sharper than any other red oak leaves. And it is also a fast-growing tree that can survive in almost any well-drained soil.
The height of this tree is about 55 to 60 feet which is just a bit shorter than Texas red oak.
These are some of the well-known species of the red oak tree, but there are tons of others. And now that you know a bit about the types of the red oak tree let's move on to how to grow a red oak tree?
How To Grow A Red Oak Tree?
To Grow a red oak tree, there are a few ways, and all of them are relatively easy, but like most trees, there are a few requirements that you need to watch out for before starting to grow a red oak tree. And well, let’s list them down below.
- The red oak trees are best planted in cold seasons; try to avoid hot and dry seasons when growing a red oak tree as it will destroy the roots before they get the chance to grow.
- The red oak tree is very sun-hungry, meaning that it needs a lot of direct suns. It's recommended to have at least 4 to 5 hours of direct sunlight for the tree to grow.
- Although the red oak tree can grow in almost any type of soil, it is recommended to have rich organic soil. And if you're planning to plant the tree is not very organic soil, then make sure to put a lot of manure in it.
- The tree requires a good amount of water but don’t overdo it. One more thing, every once a week, make sure to water it slowly, so it reaches deep.
That pretty much sums all the things you should keep in mind before planting a red oak tree, and now let’s see how you can plant your red oak tree?
How to Grow Red Oak Tree From Acorn
- To grow a red oak tree from an acorn, first, you will need to gather some acorns. You can get a lot of acorns from a red oak tree. We recommend picking some fallen on the ground and collecting at least 20 to 50 of them.
- Now you need to get water in a big bowl and put all your acorns in there. Take out all the acorns that are floating because they will have problems with the germination process.
- Now take all the acorns that didn’t float and put them in a plastic bag with a lot of moist soil and put them in a fridge for about 4-5 months, basically till it's springtime. Or you can put them in a bit of pot and leave them outside (it is not recommended since squirrels can dig them up).
- After the period, the acorns should have started growing roots, and some might even sprout. Now take these acorns carefully out of the plastic bag and put them in the solid, be careful not to put them too profoundly (if it has a sprout, then keep the sprout out).
- Water them plenty, and in a few weeks, you should see a small red oak plant, or in some cases, it might take a month, but if it hasn’t grown in a month and a half, then chances are you have done something wrong.
Uses Of The Red Oak Tree
The red oak tree is mainly used for material needs, but there are a few other uses that the tree has, and we will be talking about them.
The wood of the red oak tree is solid, durable, and dense, making it perfect for some of the uses mentioned below.
- Some of the railroad ties in America are made out of red oak tree wood.
- Since the red oak tree’s wood is dense and durable, it makes good flooring material.
- Some of the fences are made out of red oak tree wood because it is solid.
- Plywood made of red oak tree wood is considered one of the best out there.
- Wooden barrels, which we see in movies to keep the goods dry, are mostly red oak tree wood.
- The red oak tree’s wood is widely consumed as fuel.
A good amount of wildlife mainly survives on fruits from red oak trees, and a few other uses are listed below.
- The fallen acorns are an extreme food source for deers as they heavily feed on them.
- If you don’t know, bears hibernate for some time, and before doing so, they consume a lot of food, and acorns are a crucial part of that.
- The tree makes up for a beautiful scenic view when planted in homes with its beautiful shape, height, leaves, and fruits.
- Some unverified or relatively weak research concludes that shells of red oak tree’s wood are suitable for treating various diseases.
Conclusion
The red oak tree is trendy, and it lives up to its popularity with its awesomeness. The tree is everything from easy to take care of to be very beneficial. The ed oak tree growth rate is high-speed, making it a good option on the list of trees to plant.
Planting the tree is relatively easy, and there isn't any particular sort of care that it might require for you to do. And once your tree is matured and the time of fall comes, then the beauty of those red leaves will leave everyone speechless with their magnificence.
All in all, it is highly recommended to grow a red oak tree if you.