Red oaks are called red because of the reddish color of their leaves in the fall. The scientific name for the red oak group is Quercus rubra. Other common names for red oaks include northern red oak, western red oak, and eastern red oak.
The leaves of red oaks are usually alternately arranged on the twig, with 7-11 leaflets per leaf. The leaflets have a toothed margin and are 6-12 cm long and 3-6 cm wide. The acorns of these trees are oblong or oval shaped and have a scaly cup that covers about half of the nut. Red oaks typically grow 40-60 m tall with a trunk diameter of 0.5-1 m.
Red oaks are found in North America east of the Rocky Mountains from southern Canada to northern Mexico. They prefer deep, well drained soils but can also be found on sites with shallow or rocky soils. These trees are an important source of food and shelter for many animals including squirrels, deer, bears, and birds such as blue jays and woodpeckers.