Southern Red Oak is a native deciduous tree and is found in all areas of NC up to 2,000 ft. of elevation. It may grow 60 to 100 feet tall and spread 50-60 feet with a broad open rounded form. It is naturally found on poor upland mesic soils in much of eastern and central USA but also occasionally found along streams. It should be grown in full sun to part shade on well-drained, acidic, sandy loam, gravelly or clay loam soils. It is drought tolerant but will tolerate occasional flooding. Acorns need 2 years to mature as is the norm for red oaks. There are 2 different types of leaves and they are tan and downy on the undersides which contrast nicely with the dark lustrous green on top, especially in the wind. Use this tree for shade in parks and residential areas. Its drought tolerance makes it especially useful as a street tree. The acorns attract a variety of birds and mammals and like other native oaks, it is a high-value wildlife plant. It is a host plant for the larvae of the Imperial moth ( Eacles imperialis ) , as well as numerous butterflies, including Banded hairstreak ( Satyrium calanus ) , Edward's hairstreak ( Satyrium edwardsii ) , Gray hairstreak ( Strymon melinus ) , White-m hairstreak ( Parrhasius malbum ) , Horace's duskywing ( Erynnis horatius ) , and Juvenalis duskywing ( Erynnis juvenalis ) . Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: There is a large number of potential problems. Except for oak wilt, no pests or diseases are of major concern. Caterpillars can defoliate trees. Fall cankerworm has been a problem in some years. Banding the trees will help . This tree is susceptible to wind damage.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
more than 60 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in. | Width: 50 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Oval; Rounded
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Obovate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
2 types of leaves are present. One has irregularly 3-5 shaped lobes that are bristle tipped with the terminal lobe being longest and a U-shaped base. One is pear-shaped with 3 rounded lobes towards the end. They are 5-9 inches long and 4-5 inches wide. They remain on the tree late into fall with insignificant reddish brown fall color.
Fall color
Brown/Copper
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower form
Catkin; Insignificant
Flower detail
Flowers appear in spring in male catkins and in female clusters
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Oval to round acorn with a bowl-shaped cap that is warty with hairs and covers the top 1/3 of the nut. Acorns require two growing seasons to mature. The fruit is borne solitary or in pairs.
Bark color
Dark Brown
Bark detail
With age, the thin, smooth light gray bark becomes dark gray in color with broad scaly ridges separated by deep, narrow furrows.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver; Orange
Stem detail
Small branches have smooth medium gray bark while twigs are orange-brown, angular, and short-pubescent.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Central & Eastern U.S.A
Distribution
New Jersey to Florida west to southern Illinois, southern Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Found along the southeast from New Jersey to northern Florida and east along the gulf coast states into Texas.
Wildlife value
Oak trees support a wide variety of Lepidopteran. You may see Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May. Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), has one flight from May-July in the south and June-July in the north. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), has three to four flights in the south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) has three broods in the north from February-October. Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) has three broods in Texas and the deep south from January-November, and two broods in the north from April-September. Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) has one brood from April-June, appearing as early as January in Florida. The acorns are eaten by woodpeckers, blue jays, white-breasted nuthatches, American crows, small mammals, wild turkey, white-tailed deer and black bear.
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Wood is used for general construction, food, furniture, shade and fuel. Native Americans ate the acorns and utilized the southern red oak in a variety of ways to treat illness.