MASSACHUSETTS FOREST TREES 



RED OAK (Quercus rubra L.) 



THE Red Oak is very abundantly distributed through- 

 out Massachusetts. It occurs in various soils and 

 in various situations, excepting, however, wet land. 



One of the most rapid-growing of the Oaks and the 

 largest of the native species, it attains a height of 

 sixty to seventy feet and a diameter of three to four 

 feet. Frequently a specimen exceeds these dimensions. 

 Normally the trunk is continuous. The branches are 

 stout, upright or horizontal, develop higher up 

 on the trunk than do those of the White Oak 



and form a narrow 

 or sometimes broad 

 head. 



The bark on the 

 young tree is 

 smooth and gray. 

 On the old it is 

 dark gray or almost 

 black and ridged 

 coarsely and irreg- 

 ularly, yet never 

 becoming extremely 

 rough. The leaves 

 are simple, alter- 

 nate, five to eight 



Leaf and fmit^neltd natural size. incheS in kn g th and 



variable in outline. 



RED OAK Frequently they are oblong and show seven to 

 nine lobes. The upper surface is a dull, dark 

 green and the lower surface is yellowish-green. 

 The flowers, the earliest of the Oaks, appear 

 in late April or early May when the leaves are partially 

 grown. The fruit matures the second season. The 

 acorn is from three-fourths to one and one-fourth 

 inches in length and is larger than that of any other 

 native Oak. The wood is heavy, hard and strong. It 

 is less valuable than that of most of the Oaks, though 

 it is used for furniture and interior finishing. For 

 fuel it is held in little esteem. 



Winter twig 



and buds. 



One-half 



natural size. 



