Southern Red Oak ( Quercus falcata ) A valuable commercial species, the southern red oak may reach heights of 70 to 80 feet. Diameters of 2 to 3 feet are normal. Spreading branches create a broad, open, round-topped crown. Southern red oak can be found on dry, infertile soil in stands of mixed hardwoods and pine from New Jersey and southern Illinois in the North to Texas and central Florida in the South.

Leaves are deciduous, 5 to 9 inches in length and 4 to 5 inches in width. The base is definitely bell-shaped at the junction of the flattened 1-to-2 inch petiole. Upper surface of the leaf is lustrous dark green and the underside is rusty and pubescent. Two basic leaf shapes are common: 1) obovate with three bristle-tipped apical lobes or 2) 5 to 7 deeply divided lobes with a long, often subdivided terminal lobe. Acorns appear singly or in pairs. They are nearly round, 1/2-inch long, and orange-brown. The cap may be shallow and bowl-like or top-shaped , covering a third to a half of the nut. Cup scales are pale pubescent except on the margins. The acorn is attached to stout twigs which are orange and pubescent in their first year, becoming hairless and dark red their second year. Bark of the mature tree is up to 1-inch thick, with dark brown or black rough scaly ridges separated by deep fissures.

Does this tree look appetizing? Let’s just concentrate on its acorns. The acorns of the Southern Red Oak are a good source of protein, fat, and starch. They can be an ingredient in cakes, breads, and gruel.