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Cornell Junior Extension Bulletin 26 



30. RED OAK 



(Quercus borealis Michaux) 

 Red oak is the fastesl growing and Largesl of ;ill the oaks native to 

 New York State. It shows adaptability to a wide variety of soil condi- 

 tions and ranges farther north than any other oak- in the State The 

 wood is heavy, hard, strong, lighl reddish brown in color, and is used for 

 furniture, interior finish, ties, and genera] construction, though less dur- 

 able than white oak. 



, KM) OAK 



Leaf, one-third natural size; twig, one- 

 hall' natural size; fruit, one-half natural size 



Bark- — on young trees smooth, gray green in color; with age tardily 

 breaking into rather regular, firm, elongated, fiat-topped ridges with 

 shallow furrows between. The smooth ridge tops are markedly lighter 

 in color than are the furrows. On very large trees, this characteristic 

 is lost at the base but is evident higher up the trunk. Inner bark is red in 

 color. 



Twigs — stout or slender, reddish to greenish brown in color. 



Winter buds — clustered at end of twigs, oval, sharp-pointed. y 4 inch 

 long, generally smooth (particularly on the lower half) 



Leaves — alternate, simple, from 5 to 9 inches long, from 4 to 6 inches 

 wide, from 7 to 9 lobed; lobes sparsely toothed, bristle-tipped; wide 

 rounding clefts extending halfway to midrib. At maturity thin, dark, 

 shiny urecii in color above, pa lei- and smooth below. 



Fruit — an acorn, borne solitary or- in pairs, either with or without 

 stalk, maturing in the autumn of the second year; one of our largest 

 acorns. Nut — chestnut brown in color, «% inch long, only % enclosed 

 in a wide, shallow cup. Meat — pale yellow in color, quite bitter. 



