Description
Quercus coccinea
CT P EcoR
Soil: Acidic, Sandy or Loamy, Well-drained
Light: Full Sun
Moisture: Average to Dry
Plant Height: 50 to 80 feet
Plant Width: 40 to 60 feet
Pests: None serious.
Landscape Value: Excellent shade tree for lawns, especially in drier locations. In general, oak trees contribute more energy to local food webs than any other plant in North America due to the large numbers of caterpillars that depend on them. They are also a big draw for birds and mammals!
New this year! Hard to find, fast-growing and long-lived deciduous tree with a straight trunk and rounded, irregular, open crown. The bark is dark brown with fissures and scaly ridges. Leaves are glossy green with 7-9 bristle-tipped lobes separated by deep C-shaped sinuses. Foliage turns a vibrant scarlet red in late fall. Yellowish-green flowers appear in mid-to-late spring on separate male and female catkins. Female flowers give rise to pale brown acorns (nuts) that take two years to develop and mature in October. Acorns are covered by deep, bowl-shaped caps that cover about half of the nut. Nut production begins when the tree is about 20 years old with maximum production occurring at around 50 years. A large nut crop is produced every 3-5 years depending on the weather. Susceptible to chlorosis (yellowing of the leaves while veins remain green) though less so than other oaks; to oak wilt disease, which can be transmitted by bark beetles, the roots of nearby infected trees or contaminated pruning tools; and highly susceptible to fire damage due to their thin bark. Trees are best left where planted; they have deep tap roots making them quite difficult to transplant. Tolerates dry soil, poor soil, drought, and black walnut. Acorns attract many birds and mammals, including blue jays, red-headed woodpeckers, wild turkeys, grouse, squirrels, small rodents, and deer. Leaves are a larval food source for numerous butterflies and moths.
2-gallon pot, 2-3 feet tall
Photo credits:
Arboretum Foundation
Mt. Cuba Center
Native Plant Trust (photo by Arieh Tal)
