10. Quercus rùbra Linnæus. [Quercus maxima (Marshall) Ashe of some recent authors]. Red Oak. [Plate 49.] Large trees; winter buds ovoid, pointed, reddish, outer scales glabrous, sometimes pubescent on the edges; twigs soon smooth and reddish; leaves on petioles 2.5-5 cm. long, 10-20 cm. long, oval to oblong-obovate, broadly wedge-shape or truncate at the base, the margins divided by wide or narrow sinuses generally into 7-9 lobes, sometimes as many as 11, the lobes not uniform in size or shape, lobes broadest at the base and ending generally in 1-5 bristle points, pubescent above and below at first, soon becoming smooth at maturity and a dark green above, paler and yellowish-green beneath and smooth or with tufts of tomentum in the axils of the veins; acorns solitary or in pairs, sessile or on very short stalks; nuts ovoid, flat at the base, and rounded at the apex, 2-3 cm. long, enclosed for about 1/4 their length in the shallow cup; cups 2-3 cm. in diameter, thick, saucer-shape, flat or only slightly rounded at the base; scales ovate, blunt, appressed, and pubescent on the back; kernel somewhat bitter, eaten by hogs and cattle, but not relished by wild animals.
Distribution.—Nova Scotia to Minnesota, south to Florida and west to Texas. Found throughout Indiana, although local in the knob area. Its preferred habitat is that of moist, rich and fairly well drained woods. It does not thrive in situations that are inundated much of the winter season such as the pin oak will endure. In the southern part of the State, especially in the flats it is frequently found on the high bluffs of streams and very large forest trees are frequent on a dry wooded slope of ten acres, on the Davis farm four miles south of Salem. In a congenial habitat it was a frequent to a common tree, although such a thing as nearly a pure stand would never be met with, such as was often formed by the white, black, shingle or pin oak.
Remarks.—Wood hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, but not as good as white oak in any of its mechanical qualities. Commercially all of the biennial oaks are usually considered as red oak. The true red oak, however, is generally considered the best of all the biennial oaks. Until recently, when white oak became scarce, red oak was not in much demand, and was used principally for construction material. Now it is substituted in many places for white oak, and the uses now are in a great measure the same as those of white oak.
The red oak grows rapidly, and is able to adapt itself to many soil conditions. It has been used in European countries for two centuries for shade and ornamental planting. It reproduces easily by planting the acorns, and should receive attention by woodlot owners as a suitable species for reinforcing woodlands, or in general forest planting.
QUERCUS RUBRA Linnæus. Red Oak. (× 1/2.)
Acorns from different trees.