scarlet oak Fagaceae Quercus coccinea

Leaf:Alternate, simple, 3 to 7 inches long, oval in shape with very deep sinuses and bristle-tipped lobes, shiny green above, paler and generally hairless below but may have tufts in vein axils.
Flower:Species is monoecious; males are borne on slender yellow-green catkins; females are borne on very short axilliary spikes, both appear with the leaves in spring.
Fruit:Acorns are 1/2 to 1 inch long, with the cap covering 1/2 of the nut, cap scales are shiny, somewhat resembling a varnished black oak cap, scales on edges of cap generally not loose; the tip of the acorn may have concentric rings or fine cracks; maturing in two years and ripening in the fall.
Twig:Moderately stout, red-brown with multiple terminal buds; buds reddish brown, plump, pointed, slightly angled, and covered with a light colored pubescence on the top half.
Bark:On young trees, gray-brown, with smooth streaks; later becoming darker and developing irregular broad ridges and narrow furrows especially near the base.
Form:A medium size tree reaching up to 80 feet tall with generally poor form, irregular crown, and many dead branches. A butt-swell is often noticeable, and often is useful in identification.

leaf flower fruit twig bark form map

Notes: