Quercus rubra L.

Quercus rubra, the northern red oak or common red oak, is an oak tree in the red oak group. It is a native of North America, in the eastern and central United States and southeast and south-central Canada. It has been introduced to small areas in Western Europe, where it can frequently be seen cultivated in gardens and parks. It prefers good soil that is slightly acidic. Often simply called red oak, northern red oak is so named to distinguish it from southern red oak (Q. falcata), also known as the Spanish oak.

Source: Wikipedia

Synonyms 20

Erythrobalanus rubra, Quercus angulizana, Quercus maxima, Quercus sada, Quercus borealis var. flabellata, Quercus borealis var. maxima, Quercus coccinea var. ambigua, Quercus rubra var. ambigua, Quercus rubra var. borealis, Quercus rubra var. hispanica, Quercus rubra var. latepinnatifida, Quercus rubra var. latifolia, Quercus rubra var. maxima, Quercus rubra var. pendula, Quercus rubra var. ramosissima, Quercus rubra var. subserrata, Quercus borealis f. flabellata, Quercus rubra f. houbae, Quercus rubra f. juvenilis, Quercus rubra f. obovata

234,449 GBIF occurrences
121,383 iNaturalist observations

Conservation status code

Conservation: status label

Least Concern

Conservation: population trend

Stable

Conservation: year assessed

2015

IUCN Red List page

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/194226/2305058

Habitats

Threats

IUCN: population narrative

The total population size of Quercus rubra has not been quantified, but given its common occurrence throughout its wide geographic range, the number of mature individuals of this species is likely very great. Oak decline has been reported to have impacted Northern Red Oaks toward the southern extent of the range (in Missouri, Arkansas and central Appalachia). However, these impacts are not widespread and not likely to significantly reduce Q. rubra's robust population in the near future. Overall, Northern Red Oak is stable and is listed as Globally Secure (G5) by NatureServe.

IUCN: habitat narrative

Northern Red Oak is a medium to large deciduous tree, usually reaching a height of about 30 m. This species is one of the tallest and fastest growing red oaks, with a straight, columnar trunk and a large, rounded crown. Quercus rubra is commonly found on a variety of dry-mesic to mesic sites, including rich woods, dry slopes, rock outcrops, sandy plains and at the edges of floodplains. Northern Red Oak is a dominant species in a range of communities such as mixed mesophytic forests, pine-oak communities and southern bottomland forests. Common co-occurring species include White Oak (Q. alba), Black Oak (Q. velutina), Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus), American Beech (Fagus granifolia) and Maple (Acer spp.).

IUCN: threats narrative

Northern Red Oak is susceptible to Oak Wilt (caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum) and has been impacted by oak decline in the southern portion of its range, possibly related to drought and weather extremes in the region. However, no reports of serious decline across the distribution are currently available, and Quercus rubra remains secure at this time.

IUCN: conservation narrative

As a common species with a very wide distribution, Quercus rubra is not currently a priority for conservation action. Notably, this species is currently grown in 229 ex situ collections worldwide, according to BGCI.

IUCN: rationale

Northern Red Oak occurs widely throughout much of eastern North America and is a canopy dominant in many communities across this range, spanning an extent of occurrence (EOO) of over 4,150,000 km2. Quercus rubra remains abundant and secure throughout its distribution and therefore is Least Concern.

Quercus rubra L.

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