Oak, Southern Red
Category: Downtown Arboretum
Quercus falcata
59 Trees
Details
Noteworthy Characteristics
Quercus falcata, commonly called southern red oak or Spanish oak, is a medium to large deciduous oak that typically matures to 60-80’ tall. It is native from New Jersey to Florida west to southern Illinois, southern Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. It is primarily found growing in upland areas (dry often sandy hills), but is occasionally found in valleys and bottomland areas along rivers. In Missouri, it is native to the far southern counties along the border with Arkansas plus the bootheel. This is an ornamentally attractive oak with a straight trunk and an open rounded crown. Leaves (typically 4-9” long) are variable on the same tree (obovate to broad oval with 3 to 9 pointed bristle-tipped lobes and rounded bases). Leaves are dark green above and pale green below. Leaves remain on the tree late into fall with insignificant reddish brown fall color. Smooth bark becomes dark and furrowed with age. Insignificant monoecious flowers appear in spring in male catkins (yellowish green) and in female clusters (red tinged). Fruits are small globular acorns (to 1/2” long). Acorns appear in September-October.
Genus name comes from the classical Latin name for oak trees.
Specific epithet means sickle-shaped in reference to the appearance of the leaf lobes.
For more information visit Missouri Botanical Garden HERE
