southern red oak

The southern red oak, also known as Spanish oak, is a type of red oak native to North America. Red oaks belong to the subgenus Erythrobalanus within the genus Quercus and are characterized by bristle-tipped leaves, acorns with hairy shells that mature over two seasons, and bitter seeds.12

The southern red oak is planted as an ornamental tree and has a deep root system. It features two leaf types: one with three lobes and another with five to seven deep lobes. The leaves are glossy dark green on top and rusty and hairy underneath, turning orange to orange-brown in the fall. A variety of the southern red oak, the cherry-bark oak, is a valuable timber tree. Timber from all red oaks is referred to as "red oak" in the lumber trade.1