A medium oak with brilliant scarlet fall color.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
Quercus coccinea, the scarlet oak, is a deciduous tree in the red oak section Lobatae of the genus Quercus, in the family Fagaceae.
Source: Wikipedia — Quercus coccinea Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Medium tree with deeply lobed leaves with bristle-tipped lobes; brilliant scarlet autumn foliage; small acorns.
Similar species. Pin Oak (similar but smaller). Northern Red Oak (different bark).
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. N/A — photosynthesis
Behavior. Brilliant fall color of red-burgundy gives the species its name. Important wildlife tree.
§ Range
Eastern US
§ Habitat
Sandy soils, dry sites
§ Threats
Habitat loss.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the scarlet oak is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support dry forest conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Quercus coccinea
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Quercus coccinea
- iNaturalist · taxon 49157
- IUCN Red List — search for Quercus coccinea
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Quercus coccinea
§ Sources cited
- USDA Forest Service Silvics Manual
