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Scarlet Oak

Quercus coccinea

Best red-fall-color oak — deep scarlet foliage persists into late autumn. Thrives in dry, sandy upland soils where many oaks struggle. Its acorns are traditional food once the bitter tannins are leached out and the seed ground into flour.

Family

Fagaceae

Type

tree

Lifespan

perennial

Height

50–70 ft

Spacing

40–50 ft apart

Light

sun

Soil moisture

moist

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

March, April, May

Bloom colors

yellow

Wildlife value

butterflies, pollinators, mammals, songbirds, larval host

Caterpillar hosts

~557 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

naturalizing

Native states

AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV