Northern
red oak is found throughout the Piedmont and mountain areas
of the state. It is most common and of best quality in fertile
mountain coves, with better growth on the north and cast slopes.
Red oak grows best on most well-drained loams in association
with other oaks, basswood, white ash and black cherry.
Its
leaves are 5 to 8 inches long and have seven to 11 lobes. Each
lobe usually is three-toothed, sharply pointed and has bristles
on the points. Northern red oak leaves are deciduous, turning
red before they fall in autumn.
The
bark on young stems is smooth and gray; on older trees, it is
thick and broken by shallow fissures into regular, flat, smooth
surfaced plates or flat ridges.
The
tree averages 70 to 90 feet in height and 2 to 3 feet in diameter.
The acorns usually are 1/2 to 1 inch long with a flat, shallow
cup at the base. The crown of the tree usually is rounded and
comparatively narrow.
The
wood is hard, strong, coarse-grained, with light reddish brown
heartwood and thin light-colored sapwood. Northern red oak is
one of our most valuable hardwood trees. Its wood is used for
interior finish, construction, furniture, flooring and crossties.
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