(Quercus falcata )
The Beech Family (Fagaceae)
Tall tree with a rounded, open crown; alternate, deciduous leaves with 3 to 5 deep lobes, shiny green above and rusty and hairy below; and dark, deeply furrowed, scaly bark.
Habitat:
Dry upland sites of sandy or clay loam.
Interesting Facts:
Acorns, either whole or milled, are edible after removing tannins. Bark used as an astringent, a dye and in tanning leather. Produces multiple types of galls, including the “oak apple.” Host to the Banded Hairstreak and White M Hairstreak butterflies.
Fruit:
Orange-brown acorns, .5” long, with thin, flattened cap that covers less than 1/3 of the nut; matures after two years, ripens in the fall.
Flower:
Male: yellow-green (tinged with red) on thread-like catkins; Female: reddish and borne on short spikes, both appearing in spring with the leaves.
Wildlife value:
Acorns are eaten by numerous birds and mammals and tree is a habitat for many bird, mammal and insect species.
Male Flowers
Fruit
Leaf type:
Simple
Pollinator:
Wildlife value:
Tree dimensions:
Leaf length: 5.00-9.00 inches
Tree height: 50.00-80.00 feet
Where to find Southern Red Oak on the Louisiana State Arboretum Trails:
WET - Wetland Trail 5.0
Refer to our Live Map to locate this species and its interpretative signage on the trail system.