Quercus falcata


Quercus falcata, commonly known as the southern red oak or Spanish oak, is a tree in the red oak section of the genus Quercus native to the eastern and south-central United States.

Range

Quercus falcata occurs on dry or sandy upland sites from southern New York south to central Florida and west to Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. In the northeastern portion of its range the species is relatively rare and found almost exclusively along the coast; its highest prevalence is throughout the piedmont region of the Southeast.

Description

Quercus falcata is a medium to large-sized deciduous tree tall, with a few forest grown specimens on highly productive sites reaching, with a trunk up to in diameter, the crown with a broad, round-topped head.
The leaves are long and wide, with 3 to 5 sharply pointed, often curved, bristle-tipped lobes, the central lobe long and narrow; the small number of long, narrow lobes is diagnostic, readily distinguishing southern red oak from other red oaks. The base of the leaf is distinctly rounded into an inverted bell shape and often lopsided. They are dark green and shiny above, and rusty and hairy below, particularly along the midrib and veins.
The seed is a short acorn long, bright orange-brown, enclosed for one-third to half of its length in a flat cup. The acorn matures at the end of its second season. The bark is dark brownish gray with narrow, shallow ridges.
Southern red oak has been reported to form occasional hybrids with several other red oaks in the region.
the southern red oak is cultivated in eastern United States in USDA Zone 5a to USDA Zone 9b
can survive lows from -23°c to -28.8 °C and highs of 38° C
Famous specimens
Queen Anne’s County Oak - A southern red oak on record as the largest southern red oak in Queen Anne's County, Maryland. The oak was located on Romancoke Road. It fell on July 23, 2017 due to a tornado. The tree was at least 200 years old, stood tall, and had a spread.