of New York 



73 



SCARLET OAK 



Quercus coccinea, Muench 



THE SCARLET Oak, also called Spanish Oak, is the show- 

 iest of the American oaks. Its autumn garb of brilliant 

 scarlet red and crimson makes it stand out among all its 

 associates. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, 3 to 6 inches long, 3 to 5 

 inches wide, 5 to 9-lobed. 

 Lobes are bristle-tipped and 

 separated by deep clefts. 



The flowers resemble those 

 of other oaks. 



The fruit is an acorn ma- 

 turing in two seasons. The 

 cup is thin, narrowed at base, 

 often glossy on surface, cov- 

 ers Yi of nut. The nut is 

 three-fifths of an inch long, 

 reddish-brown. 



The bark on small stems 

 and branches is smooth, thin, 

 light to grayish-brown, be- 

 comes rough and irregular on 

 older trunks, sometimes al- 

 most black near base. Flat- 

 topped ridges occur between 

 shallow furrows. Inner bark 

 is of pale-coloring. Dead limbs often persist along lower 

 trunk. The twigs are smooth, rather slender, reddish to 

 grayish-brown. The buds are about % of an inch long, 

 covered with a pale wool from apex to middle. 



The wood is rather strong, heavy, hard, coarse in texture. 

 It does not have a wide commercial use, but is valuable for 

 fuel, ties and general construction. 



The Scarlet Oak is found from Maine to Minnesota south 

 to North Carolina and west to Nebraska. It is common in 

 southern New York, but rare northward to Saratoga and 

 Schnectady counties, and local in western part of State. It 

 is common on Long Island and Staten Island. Toward its 

 southern limits it becomes 80 feet high and 3 feet in diame- 

 ter. No other oak can equal the Scarlet Oak in brilliant foli- 

 age. It is used extensively for ornamental purposes. 



SCARLET OAK 



Leaf and acorns, one-third natural sire. 



Twig, one-half natural size. 



